Keweenaw Now

First Friday in Calumet Feb. 3: art exhibits, music, Main Street Calumet Market

2012-02-02T15:41:00.020-05:00

CALUMET -- First Friday events in Calumet tomorrow, Feb. 3, will offer art exhibits, music, dance and the re-opening of the Main Street Calumet Market.

Vertin Gallery to feature work by Phyllis Fredendall

Quincy #2 Level 68 - 71, by Phyllis Fredendall. Wool and buffalo hair, felted. (Photo by Adam Johnson)

The Vertin Gallery will celebrate the opening of Phyllis Fredendall's body of new fiber work, "Mining Memories," with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. Refreshments will be served.

At 7 p.m., Phyllis will be in the gallery to discuss her work and process. The exhibit will continue through the month of February.

Copper Country Associated Artists to present fly fishing art by Ray Weglarz

The Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA) Gallery in Calumet will be open to the public for the very first time in their new location at 205 Fifth St., formerly the Curves Building, just down the street from the previous CCAA site.

Come in, look around, and learn a very "Copper Country" art form from a man who is well known in the Keweenaw for so many things: work with the Omega house, Ray's Polish Fire Hot Sauce and a founding member of the local chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Ray Weglarz has been fly fishing and tying flies for over 40 years. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, as the featured guest artist for this First Friday, Ray will demonstrate tying patterns for trout and bass. He will also demonstrate the way these beautiful replicas of insect life can be used in fashioning pieces of jewelry such as earrings. Ray will be available to answer questions about this craft, which has its roots in ancient Macedonia.

Participants will be able to learn about the art by watching and asking questions, but this will not be a "hands on" event. Ray will have information about where to purchase supplies should a person want to try this fine craft; and he will be glad to take orders for custom flies, earrings or hair ornaments.

Ray has fly fished across the United States and Canada as well as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He taught his first fly fishing class in 1977 in Houghton. He has since helped both men and women learn fly tying and fly casting and is available for private and small group lessons.

Ed Gray Gallery to present miniature art in first of three Call for Entry shows

The first of three Call for Entry shows opens at the Ed Gray Gallery in Calumet on Friday, Feb. 3, with an artists' reception which begins at 6:30 p.m. The show has become an annual tradition at the gallery and is one of its most popular shows. One hundred miniature pieces are expected for the show.

In March, the "Icon, Shrine, and Reliquary" show comes to the gallery. This show offers artists the opportunity to explore the depth of their creativity. Artists may submit pieces to the gallery for consideration through Feb. 25, 2012. The show opens on First Friday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m.

April's show is a fundraiser for the Calumet Art Center. Artists are asked to create a piece which interprets the name of the show: "Where Roots Run Deep." The show offers artists the opportunity to create art which reflects on life in the Keweenaw, past and present. Proceeds from the show will benefit the Calumet Art Center. Submissions must be delivered to the gallery no later than March 30. The show opens on April 6 at the gallery, which is located at 109 Fifth Street in Calumet.

Any questions regarding these shows may be directed to Lynn at 337-5970.

Backroom Boys to entertain at Omphale Gallery

Poster courtesy Backroom Boys.

Take time between visiting the First Friday exhibits to enjoy music by the Backroom Boys at the Omphale Gallery and Café, 431 5th St.

"Maestro Chuck Hill from Keweenaw Social Dance will be at the Omphale on 5th St. to give you some dance lessons at 6 p.m.," says musician Oren Tikkanen. "The Backroom Boys will play that sweet 'n' sassy old-time jazz at 7 p.m. for your dancing and listening plaisir. And, of course, Madame Julie and her staff will be on hand to serve you sumptuous gourmandises."

Main Street Calumet Market to re-open Feb. 3-4

The Main Street Calumet Market is reopening after its winter break in time for the First Friday activities Feb. 3. The indoor market will be open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 200 Fifth St. (corner of Fifth and Portland) in downtown Calumet, Michigan.

The market will continue this schedule, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Friday of each month from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., for the rest of the year. The market features seasonal produce (when available), crafts and a variety of locally made products.

For additional information please contact Main Street Calumet at 906-337-6246, or email ereese@mainstreetcalumet.com.

Khana Khazana to celebrate second anniversary with cuisine from 6 countries Feb. 3

2012-02-01T13:38:00.012-05:00

Poster announcing Khana Khazana's second anniversary lunch, featuring international cuisine from six countries plus FREE Finnish ice cream Friday, Feb. 3, at Michigan Tech's Memorial Union Food Court. Click on image for larger version. (Poster courtesy Michigan Tech University international students)

HOUGHTON -- Calling all fans of international cuisine! Khana Khazana (Food Treasure) will serve food from six countries, plus FREE Finnish ice cream, to celebrate its second anniversary Friday, Feb. 3. This special lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Michigan Tech Memorial Union Food Court.

Here is the exotic menu (clockwise from lower left of poster):

Iranian Barley Soup -- a creamy soup with a delicate mix of delicious flavors.

Japanese egg roll -- a traditional Japanese family food popular for decades.

Indian Paneer tikka masala -- soft, juicy chunks of paneer marinated in Tandoori masala and then grilled with veggies, straight from India's most popular barbeque "Tandoor."

Thai Nam Tok Nuaa -- fresh, spicy Thai grilled tender juicy beef mixed with herbs and toasted rice.

Chinese Blanc Mushroom with baby pakchoi -- a simple but delicious family dish.

And a FREE dessert: Finnish Puolukka-kinuskijäätelö --a delicious homemade ice cream with traditional Finnish lingonberry.

Only $6 for a full meal that includes dishes from all six countries and FREE Finnish ice cream!

Khana Khazana, an international lunch that began at Michigan Tech in the spring semester of 2010, is a collaboration of Michigan Tech international students and Michigan Tech Dining Services. It was recently featured in an article about unusual campus food at colleges and universities. Click here to read the article, which appeared in New York, Boston and Philadelphia newspapers.

DEQ to hold public hearing on proposed County Road 595

2012-02-01T01:01:00.013-05:00

MARQUETTE -- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) officials have announced a public hearing will be held this month to discuss a proposed new road in Marquette County.

The Marquette County Road Commission has submitted to the DEQ an application for a series of permits to create Marquette County Road 595, a proposed 21-mile road to connect US-41 with County Road AAA.

The DEQ will host a public hearing to receive comments on the proposal beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, at the Country Village Banquet and Conference Center, 1011 North Road, in Ishpeming.

The Marquette County Road Commission’s stated purpose is to construct a new primary county road that will improve emergency, commercial, industrial, and recreational access to northwest Marquette County and reduce truck travel through Marquette County’s population centers.

The proposed road project connecting US-41 near Humboldt to County Road AAA near Kennecott’s Eagle Mine requires wetland, inland lake and stream, and floodplain permits. The DEQ has determined the Road Commission’s application is administratively complete.

A significant goal of DEQ’s review is to solicit comments from the public, the Department of Natural Resources and the United States Environmental Protection Agency on the reasonably foreseeable benefits and detriments of the proposed road, as well as feasible and prudent alternatives to achieve the purpose of the road.

The entire application can be viewed online at www.michigan.gov/jointpermit under the "What’s New" category (or click here to go to the application). Written public comments, accepted through March 2, should be sent to DEQ, 420 5th Street, Gwinn, MI 49841.

The deadline for completing this review is June 15. That deadline can be extended to July 9 by mutual agreement of DEQ and Marquette County Road Commission. For additional information, please contact Steve Casey, DEQ Water Resources Division, at 906-346-8535.

Snow bikes come to the Keweenaw

2012-01-31T22:58:00.030-05:00

The Michigan Tech Trails now allow purpose-built snow bikes such as this one ridden by Ryan Labar. (Photo © and courtesy Chris Schmidt)

By Kate Alvord*

HOUGHTON -- The new sport of snow biking has come to Houghton, delighting some and concerning others.

This season, on a trial basis, snow bike riders have been added to the list of users allowed on the Michigan Tech Trails. The extra-fat-tired bicycles will be restricted to the system's five kilometers of multi-use trails.

The inspiration to allow snow bikes at the Tech Trails came both from recent local growth in the sport and the addition of snow bike racing to this year's Nordic Ski Festival. On Saturday, Feb. 4, starting at 2:30 p.m., a 15-km snow bike race called the Low Pressure Loppet will take place at the Tech Trails, after the Copper Loppet ski races and on the same course.

Race organizer Chris Schmidt says holding a snow bike race on the heels of a ski race is ideal.

"There's not a whole lot of extra work because it's already set up," Schmidt notes. "And the trails are going to be regroomed anyway after the race."

Schmidt has also helped organize two more snow bike races this season. The Red Jacket Cyclotron takes place in downtown Calumet on March 3, in cooperation with the Copper Dog 150 dogsled race. On March 11 at Calumet's Swedetown ski trails, this year's Great Bear Chase weekend will include a Great Bear Chase Snow Bike Race, the day after the cross-country ski race and on the same course.

Spectators won't see these bikes whip along their race courses like something from the Tour de France. Snow bikes -- also called fat bikes -- travel much more slowly than road or mountain bikes. Schmidt explains that snow biking is harder and slower because it takes more energy to push forward on a soft surface than on a hard one.

"With a fat bike, the tires are so big and so soft you're almost forced to go at a more relaxed pace," he says.

Dressed for U.P. weather, Bob Carpenter enjoys a leisurely snow bike ride. (Photo © and courtesy Chris Schmidt)

Some trail users have expressed concern about possible conflicts if another sport is added to those already using the Tech Trails. Other winter activities on the multi-use trails include traditional cross-country skiing, skate skiing, snowshoeing and dog-walking.

But Jeff Parker, who manages and grooms the trails, believes the bikes will cause few problems.

"I think they'll be good trail citizens," Parker says. "They're going to be a lot less trouble than dogs. They don't bite, they don't chase people, they don't poop on the trail."

Parker adds that while he really likes having the dog people use the trails, allowing dogs has caused more policy headaches than any other issue.

As for the snow bikes, Parker estimates that on flat, soft snow, the bikes travel about three to four miles per hour.

"They're about walking pace," he says. "But it depends a lot on the snow conditions. If the snow is super hard, like it's been icy, they'll go faster."

Snow bikes have tires that can be double the size of regular mountain bike tires. These fat tires operate with very low air pressures to keep from sinking into snow. To accommodate the fat tires, these bicycles also have larger-than-normal frames.

Snow bikes (fat bikes) have very large tires and operate with very low air pressures to keep from sinking into snow. (Photo © and courtesy Chris Schmidt)

Chris Schmidt joined the ranks of snow bikers as of this year.

"It's kind of taking off in the U.P. and the Midwest," he says.

Snow biking started becoming more common in the Marquette area a couple of years ago, and spread from there to the Copper Country.

Adds Parker, "A number of the bikers [from Marquette] actually ski and bike both in the Marquette area and in the Houghton area."

Parker says the future of snow biking on the Tech Trails depends on how things go with them this season.

"A lot of it will depend upon what conflicts arise or don't arise. If usage is really low, I expect no conflicts," he says. "I think that may be the case for some time, as it grows or doesn't grow depending on how the sport goes."

Keweenaw Nordic Festival to offer free-style, classic, snow bike races Feb. 4-5

The Copper Loppet free-style races -- your choice of 15-km or 30-km -- begin at noon at the Tech Trails on Saturday, Feb. 4, preceded by middle school, high school, and junior olympics qualifier races in the morning. The 15-km Low Pressure Loppet snow bike race begins at 2:30 p.m.

All entries include the Luscious Loppet -- a dinner catered by the Library Restaurant -- available for all racers (at Jutila Center -- old hospital --in Hancock). Just the meal is worth the price of admission!

The Copper Island Classic -- 5- and 10-km classic races -- will take place at 1 p.m., on Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Chassell Trails. A Junior Nationals qualifier will be held at 10 a.m. and the 2-km youth race at 12:50 p.m., preceding the classic races.

Visit the Keweenaw Nordic Festival Web site for the full schedule and registration information. Online registration will close on Thursday, Feb. 2.

*Keweenaw Now guest writer Kate Alvord is the author of Divorce Your Car and several articles on Keweenaw Now, including three prize-winning articles on climate change in the Lake Superior Basin. Click here to read about her journalism award and see links to these articles.

Portage Library to celebrate Black History Month with Film Series

2012-01-31T14:01:00.008-05:00

HOUGHTON -- During Black History Month, Americans celebrate the invaluable contributions that the African American community has made to the culture and history of this country. This year, the Portage Lake District Library salutes Black History Month with a unique four-part film series.

Radio personality of WMPL’s "Yearbook: The 1960s" and music historian Anthony Daniel will host "Four Musicians That Changed Pop Music Forever." This Friday night film series spans four decades from the 1940s through the 1970s, and each documentary will be represented by an artist who impacted music on a global scale. All films begin at 6:30 p.m. and the schedule is as follows:

Reet, Petite and Gone will be shown on Feb. 3 and stars Louis Jordan, one of the first Rhythm and Blues singers to be accepted by white audiences in the 1940s.

Hail, Hail Rock and Roll will be shown on Feb. 10 and tells the story of Chuck Berry, an architect of Rock and Roll in the 1950s.

A film about Jimi Hendrix will be shown on Feb. 17. One of rock’s first documentaries, this film tells the life story of Jimi Hendrix and shows how the electric guitar was never the same once he emerged in the 1960s.

Time Will Tell will be shown on Feb. 24. Although it had bubbled for nearly a decade in Jamaica, it was in the 1970s that reggae music exploded around the world, and the man who delivered its message was Bob Marley. Hear him tell about his life in story and song in this documentary.

Anthony Daniel has a lifelong history of studying rock music and the stories behind the songs. His weekly radio show "Yearbook: The 1960s," can be heard on WMPL Radio AM 920 every Saturday from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., or it can be streamed on the internet at www.wmpl920.com.

Everyone is invited to attend library programs and presentations are free. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Finlandia's Reflection Gallery to host book illustration exhibit Feb. 2-27

2012-01-31T13:05:00.014-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Reflection Gallery, Hancock, will host an exhibit of book illustrations by artists Margo Anderson, Sarah Anderson, Rebecca Langlais, and Mallory Torola, from Feb. 2 to 27, 2012.

Illustration by Margo Anderson of Hancock. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

An opening reception for the artists will take place at the Reflection Gallery from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2. The reception is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Margo Anderson will exhibit her children’s book, Being Different. The book is about Anya, an ebony oriental shorthair cat who has dichromatic eyes (two different colored irises.)

"Anya is abandoned in a vacant house, locked in without food or water," Margo explains, "She’s been left there because some believe that Anya is a 'bad cat' due to her unusual eyes. One day, however, a stray dog named Dixy stumbles across Anya and frees her. Dixy takes Anya to live with a wise blind cat who teaches Anya that she’s perfect the way she is."

Margo says that she was teased herself as a child and hopes that her story will help children understand that it’s okay to be different, and that differences make the world a more beautiful place.

Margo graduated from Hancock Central High School and is a junior at Finlandia University, striving to complete her bachelor of fine arts (BFA).

Rebecca Langlais, a senior Art and Design student from Norway, Mich., will exhibit several illustrations from her book, Beginning Paths, which is inspired by Rebecca’s vivid dreams and strikingly emotional experiences.

"I see art as a major means of therapy for myself," Rebecca says. "And I strongly believe that it can be for others, as well. Within this book is a snippet of these ideas and personal inspirations."

Rebecca’s previous work was displayed in both the 2010 and 2011 Juried Student Exhibitions at the Finlandia University Gallery. Beginning Paths is a precursor to Rebecca’s senior diploma works project, which will be displayed at the Finlandia University Gallery in April.

Senior Mallory Torola, Calumet, will exhibit her illustrations from Richard Goode’s Rosie O’Grady and Flash Magee, Dog Detectives -- a children’s book about two crime-fighting canines.

Sarah Anderson, a 2011 Finlandia BFA graduate, will show her original comic, Legend of Helga, a humorous and colorful tale of a young girl who becomes a hero.

Illustration by Sarah Anderson. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

The Reflection Gallery is located on the second level of Finlandia’s Jutila Center campus, 200 Michigan St., Hancock.

For additional information, please contact Yueh-mei Cheng, professor of studio arts, at 906-487-7375 or e-mail FinlandiaReflectionGallery@gmail.com.

Portage Library to host "Winter Sowing" program Feb. 2

2012-01-31T12:58:00.004-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host Advanced Master Gardener Lynn Watson at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, for her presentation on "Winter Sowing."

This presentation will teach participants how to plant seeds outdoors right now using mini-greenhouses made of translucent plastic recyclables that are placed in the snow. Participants will learn how to plant and place the containers in the snow and find out how they can continue to sow containers of seeds all winter.

"Vigorous plants growing outdoors need no hardening off," Watson explained. "I used this method at Michigan Tech for the Tech gardens in 2011, and it works!"

Watson is the head gardener at Michigan Technological University. She is also the owner of Interiorscapes, a company devoted to professionally helping homes and offices welcome healthy green plants into their living and work environments.

Library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, Please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Public Transit Team to hold community forum Feb. 1 at Portage Library

2012-01-30T14:11:00.004-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host the Michigan Tech Transportation Enterprise Public Transit Team from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Guest speakers will include Houghton City Manager Scott MacInnes and Hancock City Manager Glenn Anderson.

The Transportation Enterprise at Michigan Tech is currently working on a multi-year project to increase the use, efficiency, and sustainability of the Houghton and Hancock transit systems. The student group is working with professional advisers from Michigan Tech and industry sponsors as well as the City Managers of Houghton and Hancock.

This meeting is intended as an open forum for community members to voice their comments, concerns, or ideas related to the transit systems. Those unable to attend may email their comments to MTUtransitproject-L@mtu.edu. All community input will be considered as the project moves forward.

For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

MTEC SmartZone receives grant to support job creation through local, statewide collaboration

2012-01-30T01:27:00.014-05:00

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) recently announced an award to MTEC SmartZone for $750,000 as part of a $6 million statewide fund for high-performance business incubators and accelerators in Michigan.

"We continue to see great things happening in Houghton. The credit goes to MTEC SmartZone for putting together a strong proposal that convinced the review committee of their strengths and opportunities," says Paula Sorrell, Managing Director of Entrepreneurial Services at MEDC.

Local entrepreneurs who want to start a businesses or small technology companies wanting to grow, can access the funds through one of the many MTEC SmartZone programs by contacting Program Director, Jonathan Leinonen.

Leinonen says, "MTEC SmartZone provides customized services for our clients, so each company is reviewed and approved based on needs and growth potential."

Grant monies have been diversely allocated through many programs at MTEC SmartZone, with a strong focus on local and statewide collaboration. For example, entrepreneurs receiving assistance from the Entrepreneur Support Center (ESC) will now have additional support and access to local business expertise in areas of legal, accounting and marketing. ESC opened in May 2011 and has already assisted 42 entrepreneurs, creating 18 LLCs and 8 technology companies. This grant will allow ESC to continue assisting company start-ups and growth.

Another great example of how MTEC SmartZone will use the grant money collaboratively is to help commercialize ideas coming out of labs and classrooms at Michigan Technological University.

"This grant is particularly exciting because it recognizes the bond between Michigan Tech and MTEC SmartZone. This opportunity will continue to strengthen that relationship and positively impact our local economy," says David Reed, Vice President for Research at Michigan Tech University.

Growing companies have unique challenges and opportunities through each stage of growth. MTEC SmartZone recognizes that, because of the Keweenaw's remote geography, companies have not had easy access to downstate talent and networking opportunities. A portion of the funding will support MTEC SmartZone's involvement in the Technology Commercialization Assistance (TCA) program. TCA helps identify capabilities within existing companies and matches them with Michigan-based university technology programs, allowing the creation and commercialization of new technologies.

The grant will also allow local technology companies to have access to Ann Arbor-based, strategic business consulting firm Phimation. They assist companies faced with the challenges of growth and those who are stagnated or are transitioning leadership.

"Of course we are thrilled with the generous award. The grant boosts MTEC SmartZone's support and growth strategies, getting us closer to our vision of creating 750 jobs in 10 years," says MTEC SmartZone CEO, Marilyn Clark. "The grant will allow us to grow our network of service providers and gain access to needed expertise through a system of collaboration, professionalism and support."

MTEC SmartZone growth strategies include the following:

1) Providing support and resources to entrepreneurs and start-up businesses

2) Supporting the expansion and growth of technology companies

3) Attraction of Fortune 500 companies to the area

Click here for more information about Michigan Economic Development Corporation grants and call (517) 335-4590.

Click here for more information about the Technology Commercialization Assistance (TCA) program and call Steven B. Wilson, Program Director (734) 998-6221.

For more information about Phimation, visit their Web site or call Dave Haviland (734) 717-4955.

To learn more about MTEC SmartZone, visit their Web site.

Great Bear Chase committee invites community members to Jan. 31 meeting

2012-01-30T00:39:00.014-05:00

Skiers climb one of the more challenging hills at Swedetown Trails during the 2011 Great Bear Chase race. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

CALUMET -- The Great Bear Chase committee will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Swedetown Chalet. Community members are invited to get involved in this 32-year tradition. If you are interested in any way, please attend this meeting -- no commitment necessary -- just see what it's all about!

The 32nd Annual Great Bear Chase cross country ski race will be held Saturday, March 10. Two new races are being added this year, plus a new stadium area for the start and finish.

Five events are schedule to take place on the Swedetown Trails in Calumet:
50km Classic
50km Freestyle
26km Classic
26km Freestyle
14km Freestyle

Registration is only $55 ($25 for the 14 km) for skiers who register by Wednesday, Feb. 8. To learn more or to register, visit www.bearchase.org.

2012 is turning out to be a great snow year and the trails are in excellent shape. Don't hesitate -- register today!

Heikinpäivä 2012 to offer family fun Saturday, Jan. 28

2012-01-27T13:29:00.018-05:00

Reindeer join the 2011 Heikinpäivä Parade on Quincy Street in Hancock. This year the parade will again start at 11 a.m. near the Bridge School and proceed to the Finnish American Heritage Center. (2011 file photos by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- Heikinpäivä, Hancock's mid-winter festival, offers fun for the whole family all day Saturday, Jan. 28. Here's the schedule:

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tori Market, Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) and First United Methodist Church.

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Family Fun Day — Vipukelkka (Whipsled), reindeer, kicksleds, World's Largest Kicksled, Rakovalkea (log burning), Finlandia's Quincy Green.

Kids love to ride on the Vipukelkka (Whipsled) during the family fun activities next to the Finnish American Heritage Center (Finlandia's Quincy Green).

11 a.m. - Parade, downtown Hancock. Line up at BRIDGE School at 10:30 a.m. Prizes.

Immediately following parade:Wife-carrying contest and kicksled races, Finlandia's Quincy Green.

The wife-carrying contest, a Finnish tradition, is a favorite event at Heikinpäivä. This year it begins right after the parade.

11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Scandinavian Wheat Weaving by Midge Waters, FAHC, Hancock. $20 fee, materials provided.

1 p.m. Snow volleyball, Copper Island Beach Club, Hancock. For information call (906) 482-2422.

2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Open House, Reception for "Art from the Kalevala" exhibit, Community Arts Center, Hancock. Click here for details. Check out our slide show!

3 p.m. Polar Bear Dive, Copper Island Beach Club waterfront, Hancock. NOTE NEW LOCATION! There will be a warming tent.

The Polar Bear Dive is one of the highlights of Heikinpäivä. This year it will be in a new location: next to the Copper Island Beach Club on the Hancock waterfront.

6 p.m. Seisovapöytä (Finnish buffet), Zion Lutheran Church, Hancock. Tickets $16. Silent auction during the banquet.

Learn more about Heikinpäivä on their Web site.

Community Arts Center to hold open house, reception for "Art from the Kalevala" Jan. 28

2012-01-27T10:56:00.015-05:00

Bear Hunter's Charm, fabric, by Cynthia Coté. Inspired by the Kalevala, Rune 46: The Bear. See our slide show for more works in this exhibit, in honor of the Finnish epic poem.

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center will hold an open house and reception for the exhibit "Art from the Kalevala," from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, during Hancock's Heikinpäivä mid-winter festival.

Come meet the artists and enjoy Finnish treats prepared by Kris Raisanen Schourek.

Artists participating are Kristyn Blessing, Leona Blessing, Cynthia Coté, Bob Dawson, Charlie Eshbach, Phyllis Fredendall, Susan Hamilton, Joyce Koskenmaki, Edith Marshall, Elise Matz, Eric Munch, Constance Stockwell Johnson, and Eileen Sundquist.

For a preview, see Keweenaw Now's slide show -- Kalevala 2012 -- at the top of the right column on this page, or click here.

"Art from the Kalevala" continues through Jan. 31 at the Community Arts Center's Kerredge Gallery.

The Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock. For more information call 482-2333. Visit the website: www.coppercountryarts.com

NOSOTROS to host Sombrero Dance Party Jan. 27

2012-01-26T15:40:00.008-05:00

Poster courtesy NOSOTROS Latin Student Organization.

HOUGHTON -- NOSOTROS will host a Sombrero (Hat) Party from 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday, Jan. 27, in MUB Ballroom A on the Michigan Tech campus. Free salsa lessons, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., will precede the dance -- open floor with salsa, merengue, bachata and much more!

No partner needed! Open to everybody! Free! Light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided.

Free merengue and bachata classes are also being offered from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, Jan. 26, in the Daniell Heights community room.

This event is organized by NOSOTROS, Latin Student Organization at Michigan Tech, and supported by the Graduate Student Government and the Undergraduate Student Government. For information contact auboni@mtu.edu.

Native American groups protest as Wisconsin Assembly prepares to pass Mining Law 426

2012-01-26T14:39:00.011-05:00

MADISON -- Indian Country TV is live streaming protests against the new Wisconsin Mining Bill 426. Click here for the live streaming now of The People's Tribunal of AB-426 being held in Madison, Wis., and links to videos of the protests today, Jan. 26.

See also the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Jan. 26, 2012, article, "Assembly set to back mining bill."

The poster is the sign being carried by Native Americans in Madison. It recalls the historic date of 1787, when recognition of tribes as sovereign nations was written into the United States Constitution.

Updated: Khana Khazana to offer Indian cuisine Jan. 27

2012-01-26T13:16:00.012-05:00

HOUGHTON -- Indian graduate student Abhinav Sharma will cook tasty dishes from his homeland for Khana Khazana (food treasure) on Friday, Jan. 27, at Michigan Tech's Memorial Union Food Court.

The ethnic lunch cooked weekly by international students will feature Jabalpuri alu bonde, which is fried spiced mashed potato balls; tawa pulao, a street-food favorite in Mumbai, combining spicy and aromatic rice and vegetables; chicken jalfrezi, a Chinese and Pakastani recipe; and paneer kofta, cheese-stuffed balls in a sweet and spicy sauce.

A full lunch, including a beverage, costs $6. Individual entrees are available for $2 each. The lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Khana Khazana is a collaborative effort of international students and Michigan Tech Dining Services. It is open to the community as well as the campus.

Khana Khazana in the news!

The fame of Khana Khazana is spreading! It is mentioned in an article titled "Dressing Up the Dining Hall" about unusual campus food at colleges and universities. The first of three programs featured is Michigan Tech's Khana Khazana! The article has appeared in Metro newspapers in New York, Boston and Philadelphia.*

"Kudos to the team of Khana Khazana and all other people who have worked so hard to take Khana Khazana to such heights," says Sahil Thakkar, the Indian student who cooked the first Khana Khazana meal in January 2010. "When we started this program, it was a staff of just five people and none of us had ever expected that Khana Khazana would reach to such heights. Once again, I would like to congratulate all the people who are part of Khana Khazana and as well as those who have always supported Khana Khazana. You guys made me feel proud for starting this program."*

*Editor's Note: Click here to read the article. The Metro newspapers article mentions that Michigan Tech's Khana Khazana started as a fundraiser for Haitian relief. See our Jan. 29, 2010 article on the first of these international lunches.

Jan. 28 Public Meeting seeks input, partners for 1913 Strike Centennial

2012-01-26T12:48:00.008-05:00

CALUMET -- Community input and volunteers are sought for planning activities to mark the centennial of the 1913 Michigan copper miners' strike. A public meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Calumet Visitor Center of Keweenaw National Historical Park, in the Historic Union Building at 98 Fifth Street in Calumet. Refreshments will be served.

Striking miners gather outside the Calumet office of the Western Federation of Miners in 1913. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech Archives.)

The nearly yearlong strike by members of the Western Federation of Miners in 1913-14 is one of the most significant events in Copper Country history and also figures critically in national labor struggles of the time. Initial planning and discussion for commemorative events have included representatives from the Michigan Tech University Social Sciences Department and Michigan Tech Archives, as well as National Park Service staff and members of the local community.

Current ideas include historical exhibits, tours of historic sites connected to the strike's events, publication of books and web content, a symposium on historical topics, activities for K-12 students, a memorial ceremony on the centennial of the Italian Hall tragedy and other public events.

The Jan. 28 meeting will provide an update on planning to date, discuss ideas for additional activities, and seek volunteers able to move events forward.

For more information contact the Michigan Tech Archives at 487-2505, email copper@mtu.edu, or visit 1913strike.wordpress.com.

Exhibit of student art on Union Building at Calumet Visitor Center Jan. 26

2012-01-26T12:36:00.009-05:00

CALUMET -- Join high school art teacher Susan Rosemurgy as she introduces an exhibit of student artwork featuring the historic Union Building, home to Keweenaw National Historical Park’s Calumet Visitor Center at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, Jan. 26.

The building was the subject for CLK art students learning about the American artist Edward Hopper, known for his mastery of the realist style. Come hear about Hopper and see "The Union Building in Perspective: An Exhibit of Student Artwork," on display in the temporary exhibit room.

This event is part of the Fourth Thursday in History series, sponsored by Keweenaw National Historical Park. The Calumet Visitor Center is located at 98 Fifth Street in Calumet. For more information, including specific directions to the event, please call Keweenaw National Historical Park at 906/337-3168 or visit www.nps.gov/kewe.

Updated: Video links: Northern lights ("revontulet") in Finland

2012-01-26T11:35:00.018-05:00

FINLAND -- The Finnish Web site http://yle.fi/uutiset/recently posted a news report with a video clip of northern lights (revontulet) over Finland this week. Click here for the video clip.

Thanks to one of our readers, Annukka Vepsäläinen of Turku, Finland, for the link and the following explanation of the word revontulet, northern lights in Finnish:

"Northern lights are revontulet," Annukka writes. "It's a kind of funny name for them -- repo (revon is the genitive form of the word) is an old-fashioned name for a fox. Tuli (tulet is the plural form) is fire. So altogether it's the fires of the fox!"

Update: Annukka adds, for a really great YouTube video of revontulet photographed from Finnish Lapland in 2011, click here.

New poll shows Gary McDowell leading Rep. Benishek 46 to 41 percent

2012-01-25T13:05:00.004-05:00

RUDYARD, Mich. -- A poll released this morning by House Majority PAC shows Gary McDowell in a clear lead over Republican incumbent Congressman Dan Benishek. The survey revealed that 60 percent of Michigan voters want to replace Benishek and favored Gary McDowell winning 46-41 in a hypothetical rematch.

"Voters and taxpayers in Northern Michigan and the U.P. feel like no one is looking out for them in Washington," said Gary McDowell. "And it’s no wonder they want new leadership. Congressman Benishek promised he would protect Social Security and Medicare last year but one of his first votes was to end Medicare in order to give more tax breaks to the wealthy."

The poll comes on the heels of a recent announcement of Republican Grand Traverse County Commission Chairman Larry Inman voicing concerns over Benishek’s voter outreach work and his ability to hold the seat against Gary McDowell.

"Regular people across all political lines are fed up with our leadership in Washington and they know that Dan Benishek is part of the problem," McDowell continued.

According to the pollster: In Michigan’s 1st District, only 40 percent of voters want to give Congressman Dan Benishek a second term, while 60 percent want to replace him. Congressional Republicans have a 35/54 favorability rating in his district and Benishek’s approval is even lower than that with just 33 percent of voters giving him good marks to 45 percent who disapprove. He trails 2010 opponent Gary McDowell 46-41 in a hypothetical rematch.

Polling in November done by Public Policy Polling indicated that Rep. Benishek only had a 32 percent approval rating and only 36 percent of voters at that time said they would definitely vote to re-elect him.

Click here for more information about the poll.

Editor's Note: To read about Gary McDowell's visit to Hancock, see our Dec. 16, 2011, article, "Dems turn out for Congressional Candidate Gary McDowell at fundraiser in Hancock."

See also our Jan. 3, 2012, article on Rep. Benishek's visit to Mohawk: "U.S. Rep. Benishek meets, greets constituents in Mohawk."

Gromit the Snow Dog reports excellent conditions on Maasto Hiihto Trails this week

2012-01-24T23:44:00.010-05:00

Grooming Maasto Hiihto trails by night. (Photos courtesy Arlyn and Sandy Aronson)

HANCOCK -- Gromit the Snow Dog says the trails at Maasto Hiihto are up to her standards now: excellent conditions.

A well groomed trail at Maasto Hiihto.

Gromit at Perrault Lake enjoying the deep snow she loves!

See more photos of Gromit's recent snowy adventures on her blog, The Trail Mutt Reports.

Heikinpäivä dance to be held in Lake Linden Jan. 27

2012-01-24T19:29:00.013-05:00

LAKE LINDEN -- The Heikinpäivä dance will be held at 7 p.m. with dance lessons beginning at 6:30 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 27, in the Little Gem Theater, 700 Calumet St., Lake Linden.

The Thimbleberry Band performs dance music at a December 2011 dance in Chassell. This Friday, Jan. 27, they will be joined by Pasi Lautala and other guests for the Heikinpäivä dance at the Little Gem Theater in Lake Linden. Pictured here, from left, are Coleman Segal, Dave Bezotte, Oren Tikkanen, Libby Meyer and Matt Durocher. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Music will be by the Thimbleberry Band with guest singers Carol Pärssinen and Pasi Lautala -- and Pasi will be squeezing his accordion as well. Other guest musicians include "the Doctors of Music": Anna Gawboy (concertina) and Libby Meyer (violin).

"A wonderful evening of classic Finnish dance music is on the playlist," says musician Oren Tikkanen. "Viola Turpeinen polkas, Toivo Kärki tangos, Georg Malmstén humppas, traditional waltzes, mazurkas, shottisches, and more. This is the only dance for Heikinpäivä this year, so make sure you bring your dancing slippers to Lake Linden on Friday."

Cover Charge: Singles $6. Couples $10. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission will be paid at the door. The Little Gem Theater is downstairs in the old school building across from the high school on the main street in Lake Linden.

From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eero and Rosann Angeli will be giving dance lessons on the third floor. They will be teaching the mazurkka, hambo, and the raatikko (the folk dance version). More dance lessons will also be taught by Chuck Hill, the organizer of the event. Snacks from Carmelita's will be available.

The Thimbleberry Band is Dave Bezotte, piano; Coleman Segal, mandolin; Matt Durocher, bass; and Oren Tikkanen, banjo and guitar.

Portage Library to host 18th-Century History program

2012-01-24T17:28:00.006-05:00

"Ingot Street Garden" is one of the art works by Clyde Mikkola on exhibit in the Portage Lake District Library. Mikkola will give a presentation on "The 18th-Century Intinerant Limner" on Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the library. (Photo courtesy Portage Lake District Library)

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will bring a part of living history from 18th-century America to the library and show what life was like for an artist living at that time.

Local artist Clyde Mikkola will present "The 18th-Century Itinerant Limner" from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Limning was the word applied to drawing and painting in the 18th century. Mikkola will describe the life of a limner, explain how they made their own paints, paintbrushes, and canvases, discuss how they traveled, and tell what they did to survive. Mikkola will be dressed in costume from that era and bring examples of footwear, a lap desk for letter writing, a flintlock with accouterments, and a lantern that he will light using flint and steel.

This program is geared for all ages. Mikkola’s artwork is currently on display in the library as part of an on-going collaboration between the Copper Country Community Arts Center and the Portage Lake District Library.

All library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Superior AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. poster contest winners announced

2012-01-24T13:56:00.015-05:00

HOUGHTON -- Keweenaw Now is happy to congratulate the winners of the recent Superior AmeriCorps Martin Luther King Jr. poster contest for grades K-12. Here are the winning posters. Click on images for larger versions.

First, two young artists tied for first place in the K-2 division: Sierrah, Room 208, Barkell Elementary School, and Kamryn Sohlden, 2nd Grade, Chassell Township Schools.

Sierrah, Room 208, Barkell Elementary School, created this poster, one of the two first-place winners in the K-2 division.

Kamryn Sohlden, 2nd Grade, Chassell Township Schools, tied for first place in the K-2 division with this poster.

This poster, by Rachel Nulf, 5th Grade, Barkell Elementary School, a student in Mrs. Pierce's Class, is the first-place winner in the grades 3-5 division.

Emma Juntunen, 7th Grade, Jeffers High School, won first-place in the grade 6-8 division with this poster.

Lena Erickson, 11th grade, Dollar Bay High School, won first-place in the grade 9-12 division with this poster.

"Embracing Mortality" course cancelled

2012-01-24T12:11:00.004-05:00

HOUGHTON -- "Embracing Mortality," a course designed to help people approach the end of life without fear -- which was scheduled at the Portage Lake District Library for Tuesday evenings in January, February and March -- has been cancelled. It has not been rescheduled.

Finlandia Gallery hosts "Visual Voices" VSA exhibit through Feb. 11

2012-01-24T00:42:00.020-05:00

HANCOCK -- "Visual Voices," a touring exhibit of work by 36 artists organized by the VSA Michigan/State Organization on Arts and Disability, is featured at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, through Feb. 11, 2012.

"Ducks Swimming in Water," by Christina Coon. (Image courtesy Finlandia University)

An opening reception for the exhibit will take place at the gallery from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Art works by Christina Coon and Paul Waisanen, both of Hancock, are included in the juried exhibit. Coon and Waisanen are long-time participants in a VSA-sponsored art class at Hancock's Oak House, a group home for individuals with mild to moderate developmental disabilities.

"Sailboat," by Paul Waisanen. (Image courtesy Finlandia University)

Participants in the Oak House art class, with local drummer Bill Anderson, will present a drumming performance at the exhibit's opening reception.

Started 20 years ago, the Oak House's VSA-sponsored art class aims to teach skills, provide opportunities for creative expression, and encourage socialization. The classes are instructed by area artists who use a variety of media, including visual arts, crafts, music, and drumming. Copper Country Mental Health is also a significant partner in presenting the class.

Artwork from across the state was submitted for this year's annual Emerging Artists' Touring Exhibit, which is open to children and adults with disabilities. The Visual Voices exhibit is on an 11-month tour throughout Michigan at venues including galleries, libraries, conferences, festivals, and other public spaces. It completes its tour this April.

Work is chosen for the exhibit on the basis of quality. The exhibit showcases a variety of media and artistic techniques. Visual Voices was juried by Amy Armand, Kathryn Knapp, and Brenda Oelbaum: three individuals that have spent their careers contributing to the advancement of arts and arts education in Michigan.

"I was honored to serve on the jury for Visual Voices," says juror Kathryn Knapp. "The passion and imagination shown by these artists is awesomely inspiring and wonderfully refreshing. Visual Voices is an amazing reminder of the importance of creative communication and illustrates so perfectly why the arts are essential to the continued development of us all!"

VSA Michigan is a member of the network of VSA, the International Organization on Art and Disability. VSA is an international nonprofit organization founded 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to help create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, excel in, and enjoy the arts.

Nationwide and internationally, VSA provides educators, parents, and artists with resources to support arts programming in schools and communities, showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities, and promotes increased access to the arts for all people. Each year, 7 million people participate in VSA programs.

"It is the artists who are the champions of VSA's story," notes Kennedy Smith in her introduction to Imagination: A Celebration of the Arts and Disability, a VSA International Organization on Arts and Disability publication. "Certainly an organization can provide access, but it takes people of courage, determination, and grit to cross over the threshold, climb onto a stage, stare into a canvas, and start creating."

VSA Michigan supports programs and services across the state. VSA Michigan is funded through grants from national VSA under an award from the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education; from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs; and through contributions from corporations, foundations, and individuals.

The Finlandia University Gallery is in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street, Hancock. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday noon to 4 p.m., or by appointment.

Panel Discussion on "Mining in the Gogebic-Penokee Range" to be Jan. 25

2012-01-23T19:41:00.009-05:00

EAGLE RIVER, Wis. -- "Mining in the Gogebic-Penokee Range: Panel Discussion led by Eagle River Atty. Susan Sommer" will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Many Ways of Peace, 217 S. Main street, downtown Eagle River, Wis.

Panelists will include the following:
Tom Fitz, Professor of Geology, Northland College, Ashland, Wis.
Kevin Brewster, Board President, Bad River Watershed Association
Richard Thiede, Committee member of the former Iron County Citizens Taconite Committee
Richard Sloat, Upper Peninsula resident sharing his perspective on mining in the UP

Supporters of the proposed taconite mine in the Penokee range believe that it will be an economic boon, creating hundreds of good paying jobs that will re-energize the impoverished region. However, environmentalists and Indian tribal leaders have concerns that the mine will contaminate one of the most pristine and water-rich regions in the state.

For more information call (715) 480-4697 or visit manywaysofpeace.org.

Editor's Note: Northland College in Ashland, Wis., is hosting a Mining and Environment Week Jan. 24-28, including lectures and a public forum. Click here for the schedule.

Major protests against Wis. Mining Bill set for Madison this week

2012-01-23T18:52:00.017-05:00

MADISON, Wis. -- Major protests against Assembly Bill 426, the newly proposed Wisconsin mining bill, will take place in Madison, Wis., this week. Some meetings will be accessible through live streaming on the Internet and on TV.

NOTICE OF HEARING: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 -- Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business Executive Session, 412 East State Capitol in Madison: Assembly Bill 426, relating to regulation of ferrous metallic mining and waiving many current laws and regulations. The committee will be discussing and voting on amendments and voting to pass the bill on to the full Assembly on Thursday.

NOTICE OF LIVESTREAM: 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 -- People's State of the State Hearing Wednesday, 2nd Floor - North Hearing Room: public invited to testify about their views on the State of the State. If you have testified about any bill introduced under the Walker regime, please come and share your testimony and your concerns about the direction that state government is taking. The hearing will be livestreamed by www.indiancountrytv.com.

BURY THE MINING BILL PROTEST RALLY: 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 -- State Street / Capitol Square -- Protest Assembly Bill 426, "The Mining Bill," and Wetlands Deregulation Bill -- Assembly Bill 463. These bills will deregulate environmental protections and give immunity to mining operations. The bills are also in direct violation of the treaty rights of the tribes whose resources they affect.

STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in the Assembly Chambers: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 -- Admission to Assembly Gallery by invitation only, but the Capitol rotunda will be open.

NOTICE OF EVENT: The People's Tribunal of AB-426, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012: (testimonials, complaints, alternative job growth suggestions), North Hearing Room, 2nd Floor, and Assembly Floor Vote AB-426 (Watch). The People's Tribunal will be an open Citizens' Mining Hearing taking citizen petitions and testimony on AB-426 and providing legislative organizing skills, training and actions suggestions to citizens and providing an opportunity for those to speak on the Mining Bill as now proposed. If you, or an organization would like to provide support, endorse the event or testify at the People's Hearing please contact Carl at carl@wnpi.org. Events will be broadcast live on Indian Country TV.

Letter: Whitefish Point update -- good news!

2012-01-23T15:01:00.010-05:00

Hey, it can't all be doom and gloom -- so here's one we can and should celebrate:

On Friday (Jan. 20), The Whitefish Point Joint Committee represented by Michigan Audubon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS), along with Whitefish Point Bird Observatory and the Whitefish Point Preservation Society, met to discuss the future management of Whitefish Point. It was agreed upon at the meeting to amend the 2002 Whitefish Point Management Plan to permanently withdraw plans to construct two museum wing additions, two parking lots, and a service drive on the former US Coast Guard property, now owned by the GLSHS. As this development had been in the works for over 25 years and at times was as contentious as issues get -- it is with great satisfaction to be able to share this good news.

The decision to amend the plan was voluntary and met with the unanimous support of all parties involved in the stewardship of the site.

Instead of new construction, the Whitefish Point Joint Committee will work together to find an appropriate location for a historic boathouse to be returned to Whitefish Point and restored by the GLSHS. In addition, the Whitefish Point Preservation Society was invited to join the Joint Committee as an ex-officio (non-voting but fully participating) member. The committee also includes the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and Whitefish Township.

Joe Kaplan
Michigan Audubon
Whitefish Point Joint Committee Representative (with Michael Sauer)

Petition on cell phone tower at Brockway available on line

2012-01-23T02:13:00.015-05:00

This photo, with a cell phone tower imposed, shows how the tower would affect the view from U.S. 41 going into Copper Harbor from the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. (Photo courtesy Chris Schmidt)*

COPPER HARBOR -- As many of you know, Brockway Mountain is slated to become home to a 250' cell tower. At a December meeting of the Keweenaw County Zoning Board of Appeals, a variance was granted to permit construction of a tower on Brockway Mountain, nearly 750 feet above Lake Superior. At its proposed site and height, the tower would be the first thing motorists and cyclists see as they head north into Copper Harbor on US 41. In addition to its mark on the horizon, as a freestanding structure, the tower's 30-foot base would also leave a significant footprint on the ground.

Although the availability of cell service in Copper Harbor is an inevitability, particularly in the name of safety, one would hope that it could be accomplished without scarring one of Michigan's great natural landmarks.

In a last-ditch effort, an online petition has been started to request that the decision of the Keweenaw County Zoning Board of Appeals be reconsidered. The petition is not against providing Copper Harbor with cell service, but rather in the proposed location of the cell tower.

If one million calls and letters to Congress could put a stop to SOPA, if one hundred thousand names on an online petition made Verizon abandon their proposed fees for online payments, and if 4,500 names were enough to stop the LaCrosse city council from transforming the scenic Upper Hixon Forest into a housing development, certainly there are enough people who have spent time on Brockway Mountain who would like to see it preserved that the Zoning Board of Appeals could be swayed to reconsider its decision.

With that in mind, please consider signing the online petition. Once a precedent has been sent, the mountain could soon be host to more towers, further damaging the view and posing additional risk to the more than 14,000 raptors that use Brockway Mountain as a final resting spot before crossing Lake Superior during their spring migration.

To view and sign the petition, please click here.

* For more photos of the site location (with and without a tower), see "Brockway Viewshed vs proposed Cell Tower" on flickr.com.

Main Street Calumet to host workshop on hoop houses Jan. 25

2012-01-20T14:12:00.015-05:00

CALUMET -- The Main Street Calumet Market will host the third in its series of free public workshops at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at the Village of Calumet Council Chambers (located in the Calumet Theatre building), 340 Sixth Street, Calumet. Kelly Cantway, Special Projects Coordinator with the Marquette Food Co-op, will conduct the workshop, which is based on her experience working on five hoop house projects in Marquette County.

Hoop houses are unheated greenhouses that are gaining popularity, with individual and commercial producers, as a way to protect plants from harsh weather conditions, extend local growing seasons and consequently increase a producer’s output and income. Ms. Cantway’s presentation will cover a variety of topics -- including how to get started with financial assistance, hoop house construction, and the potential to harvest and market produce year round.

An example of how a variation on hoop houses is being used to extend the growing season on a farm in Maine can be found in a video titled "Living Off The Land," part of a series titled Diary of a Foodie produced by Gourmet Magazine. Click here and go to 1:50 (1 min. 50 sec.) into the video. A second episode entitled "The Collective" shows how a small town in Vermont is using agriculture and food production to establish a brand for area products and help revive the local economy. Click here and go to segments beginning at 12:40 (to 18:23) and again at 20:34.

Given the time of year, the Main Street Calumet Market would also like to direct local growers' attention to a free webinar presented by the Practical Farmers of Iowa titled "Tax Preparation Training for Farmers," which was held on Jan. 10, 2012. If you missed the original webinar, it is available on their Web site. The information is applicable to growers in all 50 states.

For additional information or questions about the workshop please contact the Main Street Calumet Market at 906-337-6246 or ereese@mainstreetcalumet.com.

Keweenaw Community Foundation to host Pure Gold fund raiser Jan. 24

2012-01-20T13:40:00.008-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Keweenaw Community Foundation (KCF) will host its annual Pure Gold event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, in the Isle Royale Ballroom on the campus of Michigan Technological University in Houghton. The event raises funds to support the operations of KCF. The theme is "Opening Doors," signifying the Foundation's role in supporting community organizations.

The evening begins with social hour, cash bar and live music, followed by a three-course dinner at 7 p.m. The main course includes red wine braised short ribs, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables and a dinner roll. Following dinner, a key donor will be recognized and other community awards will be presented.

This year, the event will wrap up with a live auction. The highlight of the auction is an authenticated Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings jersey. In addition to the jersey, other auction items include a 24-karat gold half-carat diamond pendant on a gold slide and a four-night stay at Crescent Ridge in Park City, Utah, including two round-trip tickets.

Anyone interested in attending this elegant and fun evening should call the Keweenaw Community Foundation at (906) 482-9673 or visit www.k-c-f.org (click on "Giving" tab, then "Make a Donation" and enter description as "Pure Gold Tickets 2012"). The dinner is $75 per person or $500 per table. Various sponsorship levels, which include tickets and recognition, are also available. Business attire is appropriate.

Swedetown Trails to host free skiing, snowshoeing Jan. 22

2012-01-20T13:07:00.013-05:00

A skier heads down one of Swedetown's picturesque, well groomed cross-country trails. Everyone is invited to enjoy them for free on Sunday, Jan. 22, during the Winter Trails Day event. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

CALUMET -- Swedetown Ski and Snowshoe Trails invites everyone to a Winter Trails Day on Sunday, Jan. 22. Free all-day trail pass for skiing or snowshoeing. Pick up your pass at the Chalet any time after 10 a.m. If you have a trail pass to other areas, this will be a great time to visit Swedetown and try all the great trails. Lights are on until 10 p.m. At the Chalet, free hot chocolate and apple juice from noon to 5 p.m. Stop in and say hi!

Free hot chocolate and apple juice will be served from noon to 5 p.m. during Winter Trails Day, Sunday, Jan. 22, here at the Swedetown Chalet. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

For anyone wanting to try skiing, Cross Country Sports of Calumet, co-sponsor of this event, will provide free snowshoe or ski rentals. First come, first served for rental equipment, as available from noon to 5 p.m. Come to the Swedetown Chalet to check out equipment. Copper Island Ski Club members will be on hand to suggest trails for beginners and to guide hourly snowshoe hikes.

For more info on Swedetown Trails, visit their Web site.

Orpheum Theater to host singer songwriter showcase from Mostly Midwest Jan. 20

2012-01-19T23:33:00.008-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Orpheum Theater in Hancock, home of Studio Pizza, will host MostlyMidwest.com's first songwriter showcase at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5. Free Mostly Midwest buttons with admission!

The show will feature the following: SMALL HOUSES , MATT LANGLAIS, and TORCHES.

For more details check out Keweenaw Music on Facebook and join the interactive postings there!

New exciting opportunity for clean energy jobs in Michigan

2012-01-19T16:49:00.017-05:00

From the Michigan League of Conservation Voters*
Posted Jan. 12, 2012

Michigan has the chance to seize a remarkable opportunity in 2012 that will create thousands of new jobs and dramatically improve public health across the state. A proposed ballot initiative that would increase the state's renewable energy standard to 25 percent by 2025 is being put forth for the 2012 November elections. What does that mean? A quick breakdown:

If the proposal gathers enough signatures, it will then be considered for placement on the November ballot. It will require that 25 percent of Michigan’s energy come from clean, renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass by 2025.

Right now, Michigan imports the vast majority of its energy from other states and countries, sending billions of dollars out of Michigan each year. Instead of producing our own energy -- and creating our own jobs -- we are importing dirty coal from other states and oil from the Middle East. This proposal will help us build a clean energy industry right here in Michigan.

This initiative will help expand Michigan’s clean energy production, without significantly increasing energy prices. In fact, studies by independent economists predict that it would cost the average Michigander, at most, $15 per year, or only $1.25 per month.

Unfortunately, we're lagging behind other states who have already realized the importance and value of more renewable energy. Twenty other states, including Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa, have already adopted measures similar to this initiative without significant increases in utility costs for consumers.

Beyond creating Michigan jobs and expanding Michigan's economy, using more wind and solar energy will reduce pollution and give Michigan families cleaner and healthier air and water, protect the Great Lakes from more mercury pollution, and reduce asthma and lung disease.

* Editor's Note: This article is reprinted with permission from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Check out their Web site at www.michiganlcv.org.
You can follow them on Twitter at @michiganlcv or on Facebook for quick updates.

Keweenaw Krayons Adult Open Studio postponed to Jan. 26

2012-01-19T13:08:00.006-05:00

MOHAWK -- Because of the weather forecast for this evening, Thursday, Jan. 19, the first ever Adult Open Studio at Keweenaw Krayons is CANCELLED. Adult Open Studio will now take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26. This free event is an opportunity for artists to create in a relaxed environment with like-minded folks. Bring a project you are already working on, or call ahead to ask about supplies on hand. Keweenaw Krayons can provide tools and materials for mosaics, fabric arts, decoupage and much more! 906-934-3824.

Kids' Open Studio still happening, Saturday, Jan. 21

This Saturday, from noon - 3 p.m., parents and kids are welcome to attend the Kids' Open Studio in the Art Room at Keweenaw Krayons Mohawk facility (Horizon School). Saturday Open Studio is a free, monthly event geared to kids but open to all who wish to stop in. This month, staff have hand-picked some supplies for making Valentine cards and gifts. Kids are also welcome to bead, paint and even use the hot glue gun (with permission).

To learn more about Keweenaw Krayons, visit their Web site.

Club Finndigo to present Finnish film, dinner at Calumet Theatre Jan. 20

2012-01-19T12:44:00.008-05:00

CALUMET -- In conjunction with the Heikinpäivä mid-winter festival, the Calumet Theatre will host Club Finndigo on Friday, Jan. 20, with the Finnish film Steam of Life (Miesten vuoro), a 2010 documentary about Finnish men in the sauna, speaking from the heart.

Staff from the Kangas Café in Hancock will serve a Finnish dinner at 6 p.m., and the film will begin at 7:15 p.m.

The menu will include a pork/beef stew, salmon casserole, rieska flat rye bread, tossed salad with dressing, pannukakku oven pancake, rice pudding, fruit soup and prune tarts. Beverages will include hot apple cider and lemonade.

Dinner and movie cost $18; movie alone is $5. Call TODAY and make a reservation if you wish to attend the dinner: (906) 337-2166.

Khana Khazana to serve Thai cuisine Jan. 20

2012-01-19T12:33:00.004-05:00

HOUGHTON -- Food from Thailand is on the menu this Friday, Jan. 20, as Khana Khazana (food treasure) returns for the spring semester. Parawee Pumwongpitak, a graduate student from Thailand, will cook Khanom Pang Na Kung Roy Nga, an appetizer of shrimp toast with sesame seeds; Pad krapao kai, which is basil stir-fry with chicken over rice; and cookies Singapore, traditional Thai cookies with cashew nuts.

Lunch is served in the Memorial Union Food Court from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A full meal, which includes a free beverage, costs $6. Individual entrees are available for $2 each.

This is the second anniversary of Khana Khazana, a weekly lunch cooked by international students and featuring the foods of their countries. Khana Khazana is a collaborative effort of international students and Michigan Tech Dining Services.

Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council meeting CANCELLED

2012-01-19T12:00:00.006-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council (PRWAC) meeting originally scheduled for tonight, Thursday, Jan. 19, has been CANCELLED because of weather. The meeting has been postponed and will most likely be held after Jan. 30, 2012. Click here to read about the meeting.

Al Gedicks to speak on Penokee Iron Mine proposal Jan. 19

2012-01-19T00:20:00.011-05:00

ASHLAND, Wis. -- Author and activist Al Gedicks, professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, will present "Extreme Mining: The Penokee Iron Mine Proposal" from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, in the Sentry Room of the Sigurd Olson Evironmental Institute of Northland College in Ashland, Wis.

Al Gedicks, professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, speaks at the Protect the Earth Gathering at Van Riper State Park near Champion, Mich., on Aug. 6, 2011. (File photo by Keweenaw Now)

Gedicks is the author of Resource Rebels: Native Challenges to Mining and Oil Corporations. Last September Z Magazine published Gedicks' article, "Resisting Resource Colonialism in the Lake Superior Region," on the projected Gogebic Taconite (GTAC) open-pit mine for taconite iron deposits of the Penokee Range in northern Wisconsin.*

From savethewatersedge.com:

"Al is concerned with environmental sociology, Native Americans--and how multinational mining and oil companies affect both. He is also a recognized filmmaker with five films to his credit.

His most recent film, Keepers of the Water, about the Indian-environmental alliance against the proposed Crandon, Wisconsin mine, was awarded "Best Environmental Program" at the 1997 Red Earth American Indian Film and Video Competition in Oklahoma City.

His other films cover the topics of Finnish immigrant experiences and the impacts of mining on Native American and rural communities. Al teaches Racial and Ethnic Minorities, the Sociology of Film, Environmental Sociology, Foundations of Sociological Analysis and American Indians and the Environment. His research and publications center on the issue of environmental threats and sociocultural dislocation posed by mining and oil projects...."

* Editor's Notes:

Click here to read Gedicks' article, "Resisting Resource Colonialism in the Lake Superior Region."

For more about Al Gedicks and the Penokee proposal, see our Nov. 19, 2011, article, "Updated: Penokee iron mining proposal threatens Bad River watershed."

Green Film Series to present "Economics of Happiness" Jan. 19

2012-01-18T23:27:00.008-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The popular Green Film Series starts Thursday, Jan. 19, with a documentary film called Economics of Happiness. The 65-minute documentary examines how "going local" can be a powerful strategy to help repair ecosystems, societies and ourselves.

Michigan Tech Assistant Professor Daya Muralidharan (School of Business and Economics) will lead a discussion after the film. Coffee and dessert will be served. The program runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Forestry G002.

The Green Film Series is free, although a $3 donation is suggested by the sponsors: Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Keweenaw Land Trust and Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

Updated: Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council MEETING POSTPONED

2012-01-18T23:14:00.011-05:00

Editor's Note: The following meeting has been cancelled because of weather. It may be postponed to a date after Jan. 30.

HOUGHTON -- The Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council (PRWAC) will hold its first meeting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, in the MTU Lakeshore Center Community Room, Houghton. The public is invited to attend.

The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) received a Michigan Coastal Zone Management/DEQ/NOAA grant to prepare a Pilgrim River Watershed Management Plan. A Watershed Management Plan includes a fact-based assessment of water quality, the fishery, habitats, land uses, road and stream crossings, any impairments and other factors impacting water quality of the river and surrounding land. This factual information along with community input will be used to develop a plan with voluntary recommendations to help the community understand and manage a healthy watershed.

PRWAC Meetings provide a public forum for constituents of the Pilgrim River Watershed to provide input. Michigan Tech S-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students and Keweenaw Land Trust will help facilitate this session.

This meeting is sponsored by the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District.

For more information contact Sue Haralson, HKCD Administrator, at 906-482-0214 or by email at sue.haralson@mi.nacdnet.net.

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club to meet Jan. 18 at Chalet

2012-01-18T12:55:00.003-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will meet at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Hancock Chalet. Everyone is welcome. Questions? Email jbgreen45@charter.net or call 487-5411.

Finlandia to host talk on music in "Kalevala" epic Jan. 18

2012-01-17T13:03:00.007-05:00

HANCOCK -- Dr. Carl Rahkonen will speak about the role of music in Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala, at 2 p.m. this Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock.

Topics will include the use of music in traditional performances of Kalevala folk poetry, references to music within the poems themselves, and the use of the Kalevala as an inspiration in modern music.

Rahkonen is music librarian and professor at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has a Ph.D. in folklore from Indiana University; his dissertation subject was "Kantele Traditions of Finland."

Rahkonen was 2010-11 Finlandia Foundation Lecturer of the Year, and he is a member of the national board of FinnFest USA.

The event is free and open to the public. For information, call 487-7505.

The Finnish American Heritage Center is in downtown Hancock at 435 Quincy Street.

Wisconsin State Journal welcomes letters on Penokee mine for Jan. 22 paper

2012-01-16T23:35:00.009-05:00

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin State Journal will do a round-up of letters to the editor on the proposed Penokee mine in next Sunday's paper (Jan. 22).

The deadline to get letters in to them is this Wednesday, Jan 18.

You can email letters (no more than 250 words long) to wsjopine@madison.com, or use the web form here:
http://host.madison.com/wsj/opinion/mailbag/

For more information contact savethewatersedge@gmail.com.

Click here if you need background info.

Updated: Keweenaw Krayons gears up for 2012 art, music

2012-01-16T23:07:00.017-05:00

Editor's update: The Adult Open Studio scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, has been cancelled because of weather. It is postponed to next Thursday, Jan. 26. Click here for details.

MOHAWK -- Keweenaw Krayons' 2012 winter schedule introduces changes to the organization’s open studio and guitar class schedule.

Keweenaw Krayons participants should be aware that the 2011 Fall Open Studio hours are no longer in effect. Instead, Open Studio will be held the third Saturday of each month through May. In addition, there will be an Adult Swim Open Studio on the third Thursday of each month through May. Both events are free to the public.

"I want to devote more energy to providing an exciting experience each time somebody visits Keweenaw Krayons," said Elise Matz, Keweenaw Krayons director. "Hosting Open Studio one Saturday each month allows us to plan special activities for the kids and anybody else who wants to participate. For Thursday Adult Swim, it’s a chance for mature artists to relax, visit, and get inspired."

Diana Langdon will continue teaching a Crayon Crafts workshop on the first Monday of each month. Crayon Crafts explores the many things one can do with that humble art supply, the crayon. Activities include (but are not limited to) wax molding and wax painting. This series is for kids of all ages, and adults are welcome to join as well. It is free to the public, but participants are encouraged to call ahead or register online so that Keweenaw Krayons can prepare adequate staffing and supplies.

Group guitar lessons for kids 14 and under, made possible by the Dan Schmitt Gift of Music Fund, will also continue to take place at Keweenaw Krayons. However, class times have moved from Saturday afternoons to Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Classes at Calumet High School will continue to be held each Tuesday after school.

Those who wish to learn more about any of these programs can call Elise at (906) 934-3824 or visit our website for updates. Parents and students can register for all events by visiting www.keweenawkrayons.org and clicking on "Calendar of Events."

Hunters, anglers, pack Alpena town hall to oppose Casperson's Land Cap

2012-01-16T17:14:00.019-05:00

From the Michigan League of Conservation Voters

ALPENA -- A Jan. 13, 2012, article from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters reports that On Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, State Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) presented his public land bill to a room full of hunters and anglers at a town hall meeting in Alpena, Mich.

The article states, "This town hall wasn’t about just any bill; it was about SB 248, the Land Cap Bill, which would restrict the amount of land available for hunting, fishing, horseback riding, and hiking. The citizens at this town hall proved that conservation is not a partisan issue, and that protecting and preserving land for public use transcends party politics."*

The article notes that, in addition to members of the League of Conservation Voters, this town hall was attended by a large group from Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) as well as representatives from Trout Unlimited, the Pigeon River Country Association, the Quality Deer Management Association, horseback riding groups and township administrators.

"The Land Cap Bill would require the state to sell land if it wanted to purchase more after it reached the cap," the article explains. "If a parcel became available in southern Michigan, where there is currently little public land, the DNR would have to sell off land somewhere else, likely in the Upper Peninsula, where timber, paper, and mining companies could acquire it cheaply."

Since Casperson refuses to exempt Natural Resources Trust Fund land from the cap, his bill "would also eliminate the primary purpose of the Natural Resources Trust Fund, which is to purchase state land for recreation," the article adds.**

While he tried to counter citizens' concerns about the Trust Fund by saying it is protected by the Michigan Constitution, Casperson "failed to mention that a constitutional amendment he proposed would use the Trust Fund to build logging and mining roads on state land," the article says.***

* Click here to read the whole article from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
** Click here to read about the State Senate vote on this bill last June.
***Read about this proposed amendment.

Click here to see You Tube videos of this town hall meeting.

Woods Person post: "To Mine or Not to Mine"

2012-01-16T00:58:00.008-05:00

On Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, Woods Person, a blog from Wisconsin's North Woods, posted "To Mine or Not to Mine," Chapters 1 and 2, submitted by Cousin Jack, AG (Amateur Geologist).

The mine in question here is the proposed open-pit iron mine Gogebic Taconite (GTac) hopes to construct in the Penokee Hills in northern Wisconsin.

In Chapter 1, the author of these two articles writes, "I have been looking at and listening to the Penokee Problem for several months. I have taken in all the info available to me.

"I took the day off today and read through a definitive text -- the 1929 Wis. Geo. Survey book by geologist H. R. Aldrich -- entitled Geology of the Gogebic Iron Range. He seems to know his stuff and I had to skim much of it to discover what is pertinent to the GTac story."

In Chapter 2, the author, who says he has 60+ years in mining and geology, tells us what he learned from that 1929 treatise concerning the area of the proposed GTac mine. He concludes that GTac has insufficient information to make a mining proposal and that the lease should be recalled.

Click here to read why.

Calumet Art Center offers Snow Sculpture Competition, after-school program, more

2012-01-15T18:31:00.020-05:00

CALUMET -- The Calumet Art Center announces several events in their recent newsletter. Here are some excerpts:

Snow Sculpture Competition

It’s time to be creative and decide to build a snow person, animal or whatever creation you can dream up. The Calumet Art Center is providing the building site, beginning Sunday, Jan. 15. Build and sculpt until the judging on March 6, and prizes will be awarded on March 8. First, Second and Third prizes will be awarded in the following categories: individual youth, individual adult and group. Have fun in the snow in Calumet!!

BHK Great Explorations Program

The Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw Counties Great Explorations after-school eight-week program held at the Calumet Art Center will be completed on Jan. 18. The community is invited to attend an open house at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, to view the students' work in clay and weaving. Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 25, an eight-week session will begin using clay and copper.

Calumet Art Center announces new assistant director

Monica Rovano is not new to the Art Center -- more like an old friend. She is new in the position of Assistant Director. Monica has stepped into the position to assist Ed Gray with many of the responsibilities of running the Art Center and its many activities.

Visit the Calumet Art Center on Facebook to read more about their activities.

Keweenaw Krayons to offer winter Tai Chi, Qigong Wellness classes

2012-01-15T17:49:00.015-05:00

MOHAWK -- Back by popular demand, Darlene Basto is scheduled to teach Tai Chi and Qigong Wellness classes at Keweenaw Krayons this winter. An experienced instructor, Basto is certified by the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC).*

Both classes begin their six-week run on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Keweenaw Krayons’ facilities in Mohawk. Qigong Wellness runs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tai Chi 8 commences shortly after, at 6:45 p.m., and ends at 7:45 p.m. Participants can register for both courses by visiting www.keweenawkrayons.org and clicking on "Calendar of Events" to view the schedule.

Each course costs $75 separately, or students can sign up for both classes and pay $125. The optional companion book for both classes, The Healer Within, is $15. Those who wish to register for both classes at the discount rate should contact Keweenaw Krayons Director Elise Matz at (906) 934-3824.

About Qigong

While reducing stress, the Qigong Wellness techniques also increase vitality. These gentle but effective mind-body exercises are done seated and standing, with a focus on breathing, meditation and self-massage techniques. Core-strengthening, this ancient Asian practice deepens breathing and relaxation, which assists the body in healing itself. The method, with continued practice, aids in enhancing the immune system. No floor work. Other benefits include balance (falls prevention), increased flexibility and clarity of thought.

About Tai Chi 8

Tai Chi 8 includes an eight-movement "Tai Chi EasyTM" practice developed by the IIQTC, as well as some mind-body strengthening qigong exercises. No previous tai chi or qigong experience is necessary, but it is helpful for deepening the practice. These movements increase coordination and focus while also enhancing balance, flexibility, and relaxation.

* Click here to learn about the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi.

Mind Trekkers to take science magic for kids to Green Bay's Einstein Science Expo Jan. 14

2012-01-13T15:55:00.010-05:00

Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers demonstrate making ice cream from liquid nitrogen and serve it to visitors at the 2011 Houghton County Fair. This is just one of many science activities Mind Trekkers students will demonstrate on Jan. 14 at the Einstein Science Expo in Green Bay. (File photo by Keweenaw Now)

By Jennifer Donovan, Michigan Tech Director of Public Relations
Posted on Michigan Tech News Jan. 12, 2012

HOUGHTON -- What if, instead of candy bars or miniature American flags, children with eyesight problems in economically deprived parts of the world received lightweight, inexpensive, self-adjustable eyeglasses? More might learn to read and write. More futures might look brighter.

Dow Corning has developed such glasses, and while the Centre for Vision in the Developing World makes and distributes 50,000 pairs to teenagers around the globe, the silicon technology giant headquartered in Midland, Mich., has donated some to the Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers to demonstrate at their upcoming events throughout 2012. The glasses, called Adspecs, will be showcased along with other science spectaculars to Green Bay school children and their families at the Einstein Science Expo this Saturday, Jan. 14 at Shopko Hall.

Mind Trekkers is a traveling science show filled with hands-on activities that bring the 'WOW' of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to life for school children. Mind Trekkers, part of Michigan Tech’s Pre-college Outreach program, has performed science magic for and with thousands of young people all over the country.

At the 2011 Houghton County Fair, youngsters line up at the Mind Trekkers' event to try running or dancing through oobleck, a sticky white substance that grabs your feet and holds you if you don't move fast. (File photo by Keweenaw Now)

Click here to read the rest of this Michigan Tech News article and see more photos of Mind Trekkers' science magic.

Ski Club to host luminary ski Jan. 14 at Maasto Hiihto

2012-01-13T14:37:00.008-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) will host a luminary ski from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday evening, Jan. 14, at Maasto Hiihto. A 2K ski trail (with a short cut for 1K) will be lit with candles starting at the Hancock Chalet. A fire will be provided in the parking lot and hot chocolate and goodies in the Chalet. Bring the family. Extra goodies to share would be appreciated by all. No fee but donations appreciated.

Gromit the Trail Dog posted this photo of a recent moonlight ski at Maasto Hiihto. "I'm in the bottom of this photo! Check out my stylish reflecto-collar," says Gromit. (Photo © and courtesy Arlyn Aronson, KNSC groomer)

Call Glen Archer with questions: 482-4957.

KNSC's John Diebel reports groomers have been rolling and dragging Maasto Hiihto/Churning Rapids trails since yesterday.

"This last storm was just what the doctor ordered," Diebel writes. "We hope to have tracks set on all trails by this afternoon. Conditions should be excellent for the luminary ski from the chalet 6-8 p.m. Saturday night. Think snow."

See also Gromit the Trail Dog's ski updates and more photos on her blog, The Trail Mutt Reports.

Native American groups express opposition to proposed Wisconsin mining bill at Hurley hearing

2012-01-13T02:34:00.016-05:00

HURLEY, WIS. -- The Wisconsin Assembly Jobs Committee public hearing on the mining bill, Assembly Bill 426, that was held Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at the Hurley Inn in Hurley, Wis., attracted a very large crowd, including representatives of several Native American groups.

According to an Associated Press article, "Members of the Bad River, Red Cliff and other tribes attended the hearing, which drew an overflow crowd of about 600 people, The (Ashland) Daily Press reported. Many of the tribal members carried signs opposing mining."*

Indian Country TV has posted several videos of the hearing. See: http://livestre.am/1e8Tx

Many of the comments concerned the proposed Gogebic Taconite open-pit mine in the Penokee Hills, since the proposed new mining law is intended to kick-start this mine.

*Click here for the Associated Press article.
Click here for the Ashland Daily Press article.

Brockit Inc. to offer beginner, intermediate photography workshops Jan. 21

2012-01-12T14:07:00.020-05:00

Photographer Adam Johnson's daughter, Kora Melia, with her Dad's camera, shoots a photo of her model, Anabelle Mack, in the Brockit studio in Hancock. (Photo © and courtesy Brockit Inc. Reprinted with permission.)

HANCOCK -- Did Santa give you the camera on your wish-list, but did he forget to show you how to use it? Despite your good eye, are you wrestling with your digital camera? Are you a little too used to seeing blurry photos of your kids and pets with red-eyes? Do the buttons on the back of your camera remain a mystery to you?

If you nod affirmatively to any of these, or if you just want to spend more quality time with your favorite photographer, you may be in need of one of Brockit Inc. Professional Photography's two workshops -- one for beginners and one intermediate -- to be offered on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Brockit Studio in the E.L. Wright Building, 801 N. Lincoln Drive (U.S. 41), Hancock.

Here are some details about the Jan. 21 workshops:

BEGINNER Workshop: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (limit 10, catered lunch)

Participants for BEGINNER sessions bring their own camera for a hands-on, intensive session that will cover the following:

basics on photography (light, depth, framing)
mechanics of your own camera
image processing, sharing, printing, and archiving
hands-on exercises in-studio with live models
mobile phone camera tips
photo critiques, tips, and equipment recommendations
fancy organic cotton, pure mineral ink printed "groupie" shirt

Cost: $250 Class size: 10
Duration: 4 hours w/ catered lunch

INTERMEDIATE Workshop: 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. (limit 5, cocktail reception)

Participants for INTERMEDIATE sessions also bring their own camera for a hands-on, intensive session that will cover the following:

controlling depth of field
creative framing
workflow and edits
working with subjects
advanced lighting (reflecting, diffusing, remote strobes)
advanced controls (exposure compensation, auto ISO, flash sync, focus tracking)
fancy organic cotton, pure mineral ink printed "groupie" shirt

Cost: $250 Class size: 5
Duration: 3 hours w/ cocktail reception

Photographer Adam Johnson, Brockit founder and owner, and Meghan McKilligan, Brockit studio manager, welcome visitors to the Brockit Studio during the Dec. 14, 2011, Open House in the E.L. Wright Building. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

The Brockit crew will provide glam studio space, instructor and assistants, eclectic background music, live models, over a decade of photo experience to share and more ...

Visit the Brockit Web site for photos of previous workshops, more details and a chance to sign up for the workshop online.

Michigan Tech News: What the Mining Debate is Missing

2012-01-11T23:06:00.016-05:00

Valoree Gagnon and Brenda Bergman are Michigan Tech graduate students who want to do a better job of communicating science. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

By Jennifer Donovan, Michigan Tech Director of Public Relations

Posted on the Michigan Tech News Jan. 3, 2012 and updated Jan. 9, 2012. Reprinted here with permission.

As they study their fields, graduate science students also need to learn to be good communicators about science. So says the National Science Foundation (NSF); and, in response, Michigan Tech civil and environmental engineering professor Alex Mayer runs a graduate fellowship program -- funded by NSF -- to help PhD students learn to communicate science to school children and the general public. This year, students Brenda Bergman, a PhD student in forest science, and Valoree Gagnon, who is in the environmental and energy policy PhD program, chose to develop a news release about the controversy over mining in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and around the nation. Here is their news release:

As mining is resurging in North America, debates across the continent over mines are simplified: "Do we prioritize jobs or the environment? Companies or communities?" These are worthy debates. Yet should the issue of mining really be reduced to "pro-con" statements?

Michigan Technological University experts from a wide range of disciplines say no.

"The worst type of communication has to do with the simplification of the mining issues. I think the biggest problem is creation of polar opposites so that one has to choose between employment or environmental and health protection," says Carol MacLennan, an environmental anthropologist at Michigan Tech who has studied mining communities for almost a decade. "Characterizing it that way is very destructive because you're never forced to confront the complexity of the issue."

Ted Bornhorst, director of Michigan Tech’s A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum and a mining geologist for more than 30 years, emphasizes that no one in modern society can deny their use of mining products.

"Probably the biggest frustration in the mining controversy," Bornhorst says, "is the complete, absolute disconnect that most people have between mining and their lives."

Consequently, Bornhorst believes there is a fundamental need to include more geology in pre-college education.

Even while acknowledging our dependency on mining products, are scientists sufficiently communicating issues of demand and reuse?

MacLennan has noticed a gaping hole in the mining debate over the past decade: "What’s not articulated, not debated and not discussed is whether or not we have other means of obtaining these metals through a recovery or recycling process…. Most people don’t really know what’s out there and how technologically capable we are of recovering or not recovering these metals from other products."

This raises an important question: How are members of the general public expected to understand such a complex issue? Answers from Michigan Tech scientists focus on two solutions: education and improved communication between scientists and the public.

According to Craig Waddell, an associate professor of humanities who has studied public participation in environmental disputes, "If you want to prepare a broader range of people to participate, they need to know how to address scientific arguments, how to assess disputes within the scientific community, what counts as evidence and how we evaluate whether or not that evidence is valid."

MacLennan believes that scientists have an obligation to communicate with the public: "Too often, scientists think about things in terms of ‘furthering knowledge,’ and that, by implication, is a public good. It’s just that it’s often not clear -- how is it a public good? How is it publicly useful? And you have to always be thinking about different publics -- and there are different publics -- how are they interested or concerned in the particular work you’re doing?"

Existing mechanisms may help to bridge the science-public divide. MacLennan calls for better "access points" for opportunities for communication between scientists and the public when decisions involve risk. She offers the example of "science shops" in northern Europe: "A citizens’ group goes through a quick education process on the subject by members of the scientific community, and then they come up with recommendations." The process is a serious attempt to improve scientist-public communication and includes public involvement in decision-making and in the regulatory process.

Regardless of their form, meaningful discussions will not happen overnight: they inherently involve process. The first step toward improving communication about controversial issues, such as mining, is to move beyond simplistic dichotomies. Scientists, educators and the public undoubtedly have their work cut out for them. But there is good news: opening avenues of communication can begin to bridge existing gaps between scientists and the publics they serve.

New Elijah J. McCoy Detroit Patent Office to create 100 jobs, open in July 2012

2012-01-11T18:59:00.023-05:00

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow today announced that a location and target opening date has been announced for Detroit’s new satellite patent office, the nation’s first U.S. Patent and Trademark Office outside of Washington, D.C. The new office will be located at 300 River Place Dr. in Detroit -- a location listed in the National Historic Registry as the former home to Parke-Davis Laboratories and the Stroh’s Brewery Headquarters. The office is set to open no later than July 2012.

The Detroit Office is expected to initially create more than 100 well-paying jobs. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office expects to post vacancy announcements for patent examiner positions this spring. Prospective employees should email detroithiring@uspto.gov for more information.

Senator Stabenow has been a leader in the effort to create the new patent office, and a measure she authored named the new office after Michigan inventor Elijah J. McCoy.

Elijah McCoy, who was the son of former slaves, is one of the most prolific inventors in U.S. history. He secured more than 50 patents throughout his lifetime, but is best known for his inventions that revolutionized how our heavy-duty machinery, including locomotives, function today. Elijah invented the automatic lubricator in July of 1872. While many others tried to replicate his incredibly effective invention, they were largely unsuccessful. A machine was not considered complete unless it had "McCoy" parts. People seeking top-quality products would ask, "Is it the real McCoy?" Today, the term "the real McCoy" is used to indicate perfection.

"Making it easier for entrepreneurs to get a patent means they can start turning their innovative ideas into job-creating businesses more quickly. A new Detroit patent office will be a tremendous help for Michigan innovators," said Senator Stabenow. "Our state is first in the nation in clean energy patents, and Michigan is home to groundbreaking research in agriculture, advanced batteries, and new auto technologies. It is very fitting the first satellite office in the country be located in Detroit."

Stabenow continued, "Michigan has been home to many of our nation’s greatest entrepreneurs and business leaders. I am proud that the nation’s first patent office outside of Washington [is named] after our state’s own Elijah McCoy, one of the greatest inventors our country has ever known."

Senator Carl Levin also welcomed the news about the Detroit location for the patent office.

"Today’s announcement is wonderful news for Michigan and for innovation in America," Levin said. "The satellite patent office in Detroit will help the our nation’s innovators move their ideas to the marketplace more quickly. The jobs it will create in Michigan are important; but, beyond that welcome news, the choice of Detroit for this first satellite office makes a powerful statement about Michigan’s stature as a hub of innovation, research and development."

In September 2011, Congress passed the final bill to create the Elijah J. McCoy patent office. The bill provides a built-in funding mechanism for the new office, allowing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to pay for the Detroit satellite office with user fees it already collects. The first-of-its-kind regional office would help speed the processing of patent applications, helping Michigan companies and inventors get their innovations to market more quickly.

Read more on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Web site.

Martin Luther King Jr. Week to begin with New Orleans' own Hot 8 Brass Band Jan. 16

2012-01-11T14:46:00.022-05:00

HOUGHTON -- New Orleans’ own Hot 8 Brass Band will present both a lecture and a performance at the Michigan Tech Center for Diversity and Inclusion's Martin Luther King Jr. Week "Dream Celebration" Banquet at 6 p.m. at the Memorial Union Ballroom on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. New Orleans’ own Hot 8 Brass Band will present the Keynote Address at the "Dream Celebration" Banquet at 6 p.m.

The Keynote Address is titled "Tradition, Tragedy, and Hope: A Brief Survey of Brass Music." This free event is a unique opportunity to share not only in a performance but in a piece of America’s ability to survive and thrive. New Orleans’ own Hot 8 Brass Band has epitomized New Orleans street music for over a decade. Founded by Bennie Pete, Jerome Jones, and Harry Cook in 1995, the band has played in traditional Second Line parades hosted each Sunday by a Social Aid and Pleasure Club ever since. Featured on CNN, Nightline, in the New York Times, and most notably in Spike Lee’s Katrina documentary, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, the Hot 8 Brass Band has been part of an important relief project following Hurricane Katrina. Their work with the Finding Our Folk Tour has brought music to evacuee shelters, temporary trailer parks, and communities throughout the US that have provided a temporary home to displaced New Orleanians. This year the band will join us for Michigan Tech’s own Martin Luther King day celebrations by presenting a free lecture, including church and blues music reflecting songs familiar to the southern experience interspersed with stories about the history of New Orleans and Katrina’s impact on the lives of her victims.

A dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. New Orleans’ own Hot 8 will follow this presentation with a performance of their music at 7:30 p.m.

The banquet and performance will be free and open to the public; however, please note that tickets will be required due to limited seating in the MUB Ballroom. Tickets will be available either by contacting Ticketing Operations at (906) 487-2073, at rozsa.tickets.mtu.edu, or at the door. (It is advisable to order tickets in advance of the event.)

The Dream Celebration Banquet is the first event in the week-long celebration, "Honoring the Life, Legacy, and Dream," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week, January 16 - 20, 2012.

The Dream Celebration Banquet is sponsored in part by the James and Margaret Black Endowment, and the Michigan Tech Center for Diversity and Inclusion.

More events to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week

The second event is on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012: Dream Makers: "Women Who Dare to Dream," and includes lunch and a discussion following the screening of a film honoring women who have played a key role in the social and political movements throughout history. This event is free, and it will take place from Noon - 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building, Alumni Lounge. Attendees must RSVP by Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, to Lori Weir (llweir@mtu.edu) or call (906) 487-2920.

The final event will be held on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012: Dream Seekers: "Encouraging and Inspiring Future Leaders," a panel discussion by Michigan Tech Alumni. This will be held from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building, Alumni Lounge.

NOSOTROS to host presentation on Bolivia Jan. 17

2012-01-11T14:35:00.005-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The NOSOTROS Student Organization invites you to the eighth presentation of the series "A door to Latin culture." Estefania Delavega Borns will talk about her country, Bolivia, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17, in Michigan Tech's Fisher Hall room 138.

Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. It is supported by the Parents' Fund of the Michigan Tech Fund. For information contact auboni@mtu.edu.

Kantele classes begin during Heikinpäivä

2012-01-11T13:35:00.008-05:00

HANCOCK -- Hello kantele players! Kantele opportunities for you, or for that friend of yours who wants to play, begin during the coming Heikinpäivä (Mid-Winter festival) celebration.

Kay Seppälä, instructor (musician, in foreground), and her kantele ensemble perform during the Dec. 1, 2011, Finnish Independence celebration in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Registration is required for these classes. You may register by calling Kay Seppälä at 523-6271.

Here are the kantele-related Heikinpäivä activities:

Monday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m.: Beginning kantele class by Kay Seppälä at Zion Lutheran, Hancock. $10 fee, instruments provided.

Saturday, Jan. 21, 9 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 11-string kantele making with Jim Lohmann, at Little Brothers, Hancock. $195 fee includes all materials, and participants take a kantele home with them. Jim's prototype is lovely, balanced, and has a clear, bright sound, Seppälä notes. A comparable kantele from Finland would cost you about $300.

Monday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.: Beginning 10 / 11-string kantele by Kay Seppälä, Zion Lutheran, Hancock. $10 fee. Some instruments provided, if you did not make your own!

After Heikinpäivä, a kantele ensemble will be formed and will meet Mondays beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Finnish American Heritage Center.

"We will choose 8 or 10 pieces to work on - for fives, tens/elevens, and whatever other instruments care to join us," Seppälä.says. "Come to play at whatever level you can. (Choose a few of the pieces, or work on them all!!) We will develop arrangements together. No fee, but we will take a donation to cover the cost of using the building. Drop me an e-mail, or give me a call 523-6271 to let me know that you are interested. As a group, we'll decide how often we will meet, but it will probably be weekly. Give it a try! What have you got to lose?"

For more Heikinpäivä information, go to www.pasty.com/heikki and click on schedule.

Finlandia's Nordic Film Series opens Jan. 12

2012-01-11T13:04:00.008-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center Nordic Film Series for winter and spring 2012 will begin Thursday, Jan. 12, with Risto Rääpääja (Ricky the Rapper, Finland, 2008). The film is in Finnish with English subtitles.

Each film in the series takes place on the second Thursday of the month, with showings at both 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The films are free and open to the public. Donations are accepted.

The series will continue with the following films:

Thursday, Feb. 9. The Singing Revolution (USA/Estonia, 2008). In English and Estonian with English subtitles.

Thursday, March 8. Kulkuri ja Joutsen (The Swan and the Wanderer, Finland, 1999). In Finnish with English subtitles.

Thursday, April 12. Efter Brylluppet (After the Wedding, Denmark, 2006). In Danish with English subtitles.

The Finnish American Heritage Center is located on the campus of Finlandia University at 435 Quincy St., Hancock.

For additional information, contact Hilary Virtanen, programming coordinator for the Finnish American Heritage Center, at 906-487-7505.

Updates on Wisconsin mining bill AB 426

2012-01-11T02:10:00.011-05:00

HURLEY, WIS. -- The proposed new mining bill for Wisconsin, Assembly Bill 426, would eliminate many environmental protections, cost the state millions of dollars in additional fees for regulation, and strip control and revenues from affected communities.

See the Jan. 9, 2012, Associated Press article, "Wisconsin DNR: Mining bill could cost agency millions."

Visit the Web site, savethewatersedge.com for updates on this bill and its potential effects on the environment, especially since it is being proposed to kick-start the projected Gogebic Taconite open-pit mine in the Penokee Hills.

According to Clean Wisconsin's summary of the bill, the projected Gogebic Taconite mine will produce massive amounts of waste. This bill allows that waste to be placed directly into waterways and relaxes the information a company must give to the Wisconsin DNR for their mining plans.

A hearing on the bill will be held beginning at 10 a.m. TODAY, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at the Hurley Inn in Hurley, Wis. If you are unable to attend this hearing, you can sign a petition regarding the projected Gogebic Taconite mine (even if you are not a Wisconsin resident).

2012 Mining Impacts on Native Lands Film Series begins Jan. 11

2012-01-09T17:54:00.008-05:00

BARAGA -- The 2012 Mining Impacts on Native Lands Film Series will feature the January film, Under Rich Earth, which discusses human rights and mining companies in the Junin community of Ecuador, this Wednesday, Jan. 11, in Baraga.

Two screening times will take place: at 12:30 p.m. in the Ojibwa Seniors Center and at 6 p.m. in the Ojibwa Casino Chippewa Room.

Regional mining updates and time for questions follow each film in the series.

Learn more about this month's film and view a trailer online at http://underrichearth.ryecinema.com/

Coming films in the series, to be shown at these same times and locations, include the following:

Wednesday, Feb. 8: Locked Out
About Rio Tinto’s treatment of workers and communities in the U.S. and around the world

Wednesday, March 14: Four Corners: A National Sacrifice Area
Tells the stories of Native people impacted by strip-mining and uranium mining and milling

Wednesday, April 11: In the Light of Reverence
About Native American religious freedom rights in relation to mining and other developments throughout the U.S.

Wednesday, May 9: Tar Creek
About the largest Superfund site in America, near Native communities, left by a large lead and zinc mine in northeastern Oklahoma

Wednesday, June 13: Poison in the Rockies
Discusses threats to water quality and ecosystems in Colorado due to mining

Wednesday, July 11: American Outrage
About two elderly Western Shoshone sisters who received historic international recognition of their rights involving the confiscation of their land for gold mining interests in Nevada

This Film Series is hosted by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Natural Resources Department Mining Outreach and Education Program.

For more information contact Jessica Koski, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Mining Technical Assistant, at 906-524-5757 ext. 25.

Grand Canyon saved from new uranium mining: 20-year protection finalized

2012-01-09T14:27:00.011-05:00

Jan. 9, 2011, Sierra Club press release:

WASHINGTON, DC -- Department of Interior Secretary Salazar today finalized protections that will prevent new mining and mineral exploration on more than a million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park. The 20-year protection from uranium and other hard rock mining comes as thousands of mining claims and several new mines threaten to industrialize the public lands around one of America's greatest natural wonders.

View of the Colorado River flowing through the Grand Canyon. The river provides drinking water and irrigation for millions of people in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Today's decision by Secretary of the Interior Salazar protects this water and valuable public land around the Grand Canyon from dangerous uranium and hard rock mining -- for 20 years. (Keweenaw Now file photo © Gustavo Bourdieu)

"The Sierra Club applauds the decision to protect these valuable public lands. The majesty of the Grand Canyon has inspired generations of Americans. It has and will continue to play a key role in our country's history, our culture and our economy. It is no place for destructive mining," said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune.

More than 4 million people visit Grand Canyon National Park each year, contributing over $680 million to the Northern Arizona economy.

"This is a great day for Grand Canyon National Park and all those who care about the park and the surrounding public lands and waters," said Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club's Grand Canyon chapter director. "Today's decision protects not only the area around the Grand Canyon, but water that helps feed the Colorado River, which provides drinking water for millions of people downstream.

This photo, taken from a Grand Canyon tour bus, shows an old mine site left from the early 20th century. (Keweenaw Now file photo © Gustavo Bourdieu)

In addition to damaging Native American sacred sites and threatening wildlife, uranium mining would threaten to permanently pollute the groundwater and springs of the Colorado River watershed. Millions of people in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada rely on the Colorado River for drinking water and irrigation.

"Protecting the Grand Canyon area will safeguard water quality, wildlife and local communities. We hope that President Obama will build on today's decision and expand permanent protection for the treasured areas around the North Kaibab Plateau in Arizona, adjacent to the Grand Canyon. Protecting the Grand Canyon Watershed as a national monument will provide vital protection for an area unlike any other in the world," said Brune.

Today's announcement follows efforts by Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ), scientists, tribal and local government leaders, businesses and hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals to secure protections for the region and its waters.

James K. Boyce to present "Environment vs. Economy" Jan. 11 at Michigan Tech

2012-01-09T13:52:00.010-05:00

HOUGHTON -- James K. Boyce, professor of economics at University of Massachusetts Amherst, will present "Environment vs. Economy: Is it possible to advance environmental protection AND poverty reduction?" from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in G002 Hesterburg Hall, Forestry Building at Michigan Tech University.

The presentation, open to all, will be followed by coffee, dessert and discussion.

Professor Boyce will discuss the following:

Explore how to get beyond the common paradigm of environmental protection OR economic growth. How can economic investments enhance natural resource stewardship?
Examine on-the-ground initiatives across the country and around the world.

Building natural assets in the hands of low-income households and communities can advance simultaneously the goals of environmental protection and poverty reduction. This is not merely a theoretical possibility -- it is a practical reality demonstrated by on-the-ground initiatives across the country and around the world.

James K. Boyce is director of the Program on Development, Peace-building and the Environment at the Political Economy Research Institute at University of Massachusetts Amherst. His books include Reclaiming Nature: Environmental Justice and Ecological Restoration (2007) and The Political Economy of the Environment (2002). His current work focuses on strategies for combining poverty reduction with environmental protection, and the economics of war and peace.

This event is co-sponsored by these groups: Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and Keweenaw Land Trust.

Friends of Calumet Library to hold meeting Jan. 10

2012-01-09T12:26:00.005-05:00

CALUMET -- Friends of the Calumet Public Library will hold their monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

This meeting is open to the public, and new members and new ideas are welcome. There are many ways to lend a hand at the library: programming ideas, volunteer opportunities, the Red Jacket Readers book club, and more! Come find out what's ahead in the upcoming year at the Calumet Public Library. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 in the library, located in the CLK School building.

This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Calumet Public Library. For more information, visit the library or call 337-0311, ext 1107. (In case of bad weather, when school is cancelled, all library programs are cancelled.)

Portage Library to host free computer tutoring

2012-01-08T19:59:00.004-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library and the Computer Science and Humanities Departments at Michigan Technological University are providing free tutoring at the library for beginning computer users.

"Online at the Library" will begin on Friday, Jan. 13, and will continue to be held on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. All sessions will be held from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

These help sessions with individual tutors will show participants how to use the internet to keep in touch with people, share pictures and letters, find information, and much more. Participants are welcome to bring their laptop computers if they choose, or they may use the library’s computers. People may attend as many of the sessions as they wish.

Library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

West Coast Swing Dance Lessons at Dance Zone, Marquette

2012-01-08T19:47:00.003-05:00

MARQUETTE -- Brian and Janell Larson are offering West Coast Swing Dance Lessons for Winter from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on four coming Thursdays: Jan. 12, 19 and 26 and Feb. 2, at the Dance zone in Marquette.

Anyone interested in learning how to dance with a partner can attend. Open to adults. Class is appropriate for beginner and intermediate dancers. RSVP is required as the class will fill up quickly. A partner is helpful, but not required to attend the classes. The Larsons have brand new dance moves and new music.

The Dance Zone is at 1113 Lincoln Street, Marquette (next to Marquette High School). For more information email larsonmqt@yahoo.com or call 906-226-0138.

Genealogical Society to meet Jan. 10

2012-01-08T19:45:00.003-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Houghton-Keweenaw County Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton. For further information, call 482-4021, or email HKCGSociety@gmail.com.

Ski Club to host moon/fire ski Jan. 7 at Maasto Hiihto

2012-01-07T15:35:00.001-05:00

HANCOCK -- TONIGHT, Saturday, Jan. 7, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will host a moon/fire ski at Maasto Hiihto. It's an easy ski (20-30 minutes) from Tomasi Trailhead to the Triangle where there will be a fire to warm up and socialize. Meet at Tomasi Trailhead (adjacent to the Hancock DPW) at 6:30 p.m. for a guided ski out. For those who know the way, the old trail through Tomasi's fields will be track set; the new trail going along the creek is only rolled and somewhat bumpy. Old skis are advised as we're still at very low snow conditions. Questions, call Arlyn at 487-9229.

Letter: Urgent appeal concerning Flambeau Mine water pollution

2012-01-07T13:48:00.036-05:00

The Wisconsin Resources Protection Council (WRPC) is asking you to voice your support for a proposal by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to list an unnamed stream at the Flambeau Mine site (known as "Stream C") as "impaired" due to copper and zinc toxicity. The Flambeau Mine, owned by London-based Rio Tinto, operated near Ladysmith, Wis., from 1993 to 1997. According to company reports, the mine produced 181,000 tons of copper, 3.3 million ounces of silver and 334,000 ounces of gold.

The DNR recently released its proposed 2012 list of "impaired waters" -- a list of lakes, rivers, and streams that are too polluted to meet state water quality standards intended to protect public health and aquatic life. On the list is Stream C, which flows over the southeast corner of the Flambeau Mine site, close to where the ore crusher was located and other mining-related activities took place in the mid-1990s. Toxic levels of copper were discovered in the stream shortly after the mine’s closure, and the pollution continues to this day. The part of the Flambeau Mine site where Stream C is located has not been released from state reclamation requirements.

Water quality data collected by both Flambeau Mining Company (FMC -- the Rio Tinto subsidiary that operated the Flambeau Mine) and the DNR since the early 2000s show that Stream C consistently has had levels of copper (and sometimes zinc) over the concentrations established by the DNR to protect surface waters from "acute toxicity."

Stream C flows in the vicinity of the mine’s former rail spur and across a portion of the mine site that, to date, has failed to be certified by the DNR as being successfully reclaimed by FMC. From there the stream meanders through a wooded area and eventually discharges into the nearby Flambeau River. Stream C is known to receive runoff from areas where mining wastes were stored in the past and where toxic discharges continue to this day. A DNR-designated "reference stream" does not show toxic levels of copper or zinc. Nor do two additional small streams being monitored in the area.

Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council and Center for Biological Diversity filed a federal Clean Water Act lawsuit against Flambeau Mining Company for its toxic discharges of metals, including copper, iron, and zinc, into Stream C and the Flambeau River; the litigation is ongoing.

In addition, because of the consistently toxic levels of copper (and sometimes zinc) that have been documented in Stream C over the past decade, WRPC petitioned the DNR in late 2010 to consider classifying Stream C as "impaired." The inclusion of Stream C on the Department’s proposed 2012 list of "impaired waters" shows that the DNR listened to us. But it is not a done deal.

We expect Flambeau Mining Company to actively lobby the DNR to take this stream off the impaired waters list proposed by the Department (see press release from FMC -- link can be found below) -- there is a public comment period now underway.

WRPC is appealing to Wisconsin mining activists to submit written comments to the DNR in support of the Department’s proposal to list Stream C as impaired for copper and zinc and to ask that the DNR require Flambeau Mining Company to clean up its mess.

Public comments are due by February 20, 2012, and can be sent via email or regular mail to:

Email: dnrimpairedwaters@wisconsin.gov or AaronM.Larson@wisconsin.gov

Mail: Aaron Larson
Wisconsin DNR
Water Evaluation Section – WT/3
101 S. Webster St.
PO Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921

For more information, please go to:

1. DNR’s impaired waters webpage: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/wqs/303d/
When the page pops up, do the following:
-Click on Search 2012 Current, Proposed, and Restored Impaired Waters
-Next you will be asked to "Enter Water Name or WBIC." Enter the following: "Stream C, trib to Flambeau River" and click "Search"

2. Another listing on DNR’s impaired waters webpage:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/condition/impaired/comment.htm
When the page pops up, do either or both of the following:
-Click on 2012 Impaired Waters List (Stream C is listed as "Unnamed" on the Excel spreadsheet)
-Or click on View a summary of the data submitted to see detailed information on Stream C

3. Flambeau Mining Company’s press release from 12/11/2011:
http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/December11/1220/1220flambeau.pdf

4. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article about the proposed impaired waters list, including a paragraph about Flambeau and Stream C: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/135968848.html

5. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel front-page article from November 2011 about Flambeau Mine pollution:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/tests-find-toxins-at-flambeau-mine-133051073.html

6. WRPC website: www.wrpc.net
-For information on our lawsuit, click on the "Flambeau Mine Lawsuit" tab at the top of the home page. To specifically access the "Notice Letter" filed by WRPC in federal court (which includes data for the polluted discharge to Stream C), click on the third document listed under "Official Correspondence."

Thank You!
Al Gedicks and Laura Gauger

Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now first learned about the Kennecott / Flambeau Mining Company's pollution of Stream C from Laura (Furtman) Gauger's presentation at Protect the Earth 2009. See our Aug. 5, 2009, article, "Protect the Earth 2009: Part 1."

Galleries, cafés to offer art, music for First Friday in Calumet

2012-01-05T22:49:00.027-05:00

CALUMET -- First Friday in Calumet, Jan. 6, will feature art exhibits and activities plus great music -- and dance lessons!

Web Felting Workshop at Copper Country Associated Artists

You would think that if a group of artists were to hold a flower making workshop, it would be a good spring or summertime activity; but the Copper Country Associated Artists' (CCAA) Gallery is offering exactly this type of activity to the public on Friday, Jan. 6. These are going to be warm flowers!

Karena Schmidt, frequent guest to CCAA First Friday workshops, has offered to teach the art of Wet Felting. This is a very traditional method of felting that works particularly well with natural fibers because they have "kinks" or "scales" on them which can bond together to form a cloth. Karena, an experienced fiber artist, is going to show participants how to turn wet wool into beautiful flowers. Other designs can be created as desired, and beads can be incorporated into the pieces. If you have a small towel to work on and use to carry your piece home, you could bring that. The finished product will be dried at home, and then it can be sewed or pinned to a hat or coat as a beautiful embellishment.

This workshop will be held in two sessions -- one at 6:30 p.m. and one at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.

Not only is Karena an experienced felter, she also is a naturalist and a knitter who has recently designed a knitted sweater pattern commemorating the wolf and moose studies at Isle Royale called "Moosing Around." The pattern is available at "Yarns and Threads" in Lake Linden and several gift shops in the area. Proceeds from this purchase are to raise funds for the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Study.*

The Copper Country Associated Artists' Gallery is located at 112 Fifth St. in Calumet.

* Click here to see a photo of Karena with her sweater.
(Photo of felt flowers courtesy Copper Country Associated Artists.)

Ed Gray Gallery to feature new work from gallery artists

During the month of January, the Ed Gray Gallery will feature new work from gallery artists Steve Toornman, Michelle Wegler, Meredith Krell, Georgi Tsenov, Todd Mills, and Todd Springer. The opening reception will take place from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. The show will run until the first Wednesday in February.

The Ed Gray Gallery is located at 109 Fifth Street, Calumet.

Café Rosetta to exhibit "Kabuki" by Melanie Lieb

Just across from Ed's Gallery, the Café Rosetta will celebrate First Friday with "Kabuki," an exhibit of new paintings by Melanie Lieb.

The Café Rosetta will remain open until 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, for the opening reception. Stop in for great coffee, treats and art!

Dance lessons, music by Backroom Boys at Omphale Gallery and Café

The Backroom Boys play a variety of tunes for dancing on this great wood floor at the Omphale Gallery and Café. Musicians are, from left, Oren Tikkanen, Matthew Durocher, Bob Norden, Randy Seppala and John Munson. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Although many of us have forgotten the old ways, the fact is that Friday, Jan 6, is the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas, as well as the First Friday at the Calumet art galleries in this New Year.

"Madame Julie at the Omphale Gallery and Café at the top of 5th Street is celebrating by bringing in Maestro Chuck Hill from Keweenaw Social Dance to give dance lessons at 6 p.m., and the Backroom Boys will be playing swing and old jazz from 7 until 9," says musician Oren Tikkanen.

Julie DePaul Johnson, co-owner of the Omphale Gallery and Café, prepares not only real espresso coffee but great gourmet dishes as well. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Twelfth Night is a traditional time for revelry and is also the beginning of the Carnival season that runs through Mardi Gras. Dust off your beads and feathers, put on your dance shoes, and come on down.

The Omphale is also exhibiting lovely oil paintings by Ann Cameron McDonald from Jan. 6 through Jan. 29.

Public hearing on Wis. mining law to be Jan. 11 in Hurley; Ashland hearing cancelled

2012-01-05T18:31:00.013-05:00

HURLEY, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Assembly Jobs Committee has announced it will hold an official public hearing on the proposed mining bill, Assembly Bill 426, beginning at 10 a.m. next Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at the Hurley Inn in Hurley, Wis.

Wisconsin State Rep. Janet Bewley and State Senator Bob Jauch have CANCELLED the public hearing on proposed Wisconsin mining bill AB 426 that had been scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in the Ashland High School Auditorium in Ashland, Wis.

Despite what some local newspapers say, THE SATURDAY MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Rep. Bewley will be at the Ashland site on Saturday to tell people that the meeting will not be held so that people who did not get the notice and show up are not further confused.

An article today, Jan. 5, 2012, in the Ironwood Daily Globe, says, "It's the second public hearing on AB 426, which speeds up permitting and eases environmental standards for iron mines. The first was held last month in West Allis, about 300 miles away from Iron County. Jauch and Bewley both criticized the Jobs committee and its chair, Rep. Mary Williams, R-Medford, for only scheduling one public hearing far away from the proposed mine site. The Jobs committee held an informational hearing in Hurley in October."

The Daily Globe also states that Assembly Bill 426 "is intended to help the Gogebic Taconite company start a mine on the border of Ashland and Iron counties."*

* Editor's Notes: Visit the Web site Save the Water's Edge for links to information about this Dec. 14, 2011, proposed AB 426. See especially the Dec. 19, 2011, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, "Legislators worked with Gogebic Taconite on mining bill." See also The Nature Conservancy's summary of this bill.

Click here to read our Nov. 19, 2011, article, "Updated: Penokee iron mining proposal threatens Bad River watershed," on the proposed Gogebic Taconite mine.

New Slide Show: December Art in Calumet

2012-01-05T01:52:00.009-05:00

"A Winter's Passing," by Kayo Miwa, one of several artists featured at Calumet's Vertin Gallery in December. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

CALUMET -- Keweenaw Now's latest slide show offers some photos of art events and exhibits in Calumet during December 2011.

See the new slide show in the upper right corner of this page and click on any photo. Above the large photo click on the title of the slide show; then, at the top left, click slide show. Links to previous slide shows can be found below our Blog Archive in the right-hand column.

You can also click here to go directly to the new slide show.

Finlandia to offer community enrichment classes

2012-01-04T20:17:00.003-05:00

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) will host the following community enrichment classes starting the week of January 9, 2012. All classes meet for 10-weeks and cost $50 per person.

Introductory Finnish Language: Mondays, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Instructed by Liisa Manninen.

Intermediate Finnish Language: Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Instructed by Anna Leppänen.

Advanced Finnish Language: Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Instructed by Hannu Leppänen.

To register, call Hilary Virtanen, FAHC programming coordinator, at 906-487-7505.

Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Club to offer ski lessons

2012-01-04T19:11:00.005-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Club will again be teaching cross-country ski lessons this winter. This is the 8th year the club is offering instruction to the campus and community. Skiers can choose from skate or classic technique. The lessons will be taught at the beginner, novice or intermediate level, based on the skier's ability. Details about lessons and prices are available at http://forest.mtu.edu/ski/lessons/.

U.S. Rep. Benishek meets, greets constituents in Mohawk

2012-01-03T23:50:00.045-05:00

U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek fields questions from constituents during his Dec. 29, 2011, "Meet 'n Greet" event at Slim's Café in Mohawk. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

By Michele Bourdieu

MOHAWK -- First District Congressman Dan Benishek (R-Iron County) traveled to Mohawk last week to field constituents' questions and hear their concerns on issues ranging from health care to forests to Social Security and taxes.

Addressing a small crowd last Thursday morning, Dec. 29, in Slim's Café, Benishek gave a short introduction, noting his recent work has consisted of reading the legislation, trying to get spending under control and trying to vote on issues that affect Michigan, especially those issues that his constituents in the First District (the Upper Peninsula and parts of northern Michigan) would want him to vote on.

Benishek said his office, in this past year, has received 69,000 comments -- letters, emails and phone calls -- from constituents.

"We really have tried to answer them individually," he said.

In addition, his office received 1800 requests on federal issues such as veterans' benefits, post office questions, etc.

Michigan First District Congressman Dan Benishek greets constituents during a visit to Mohawk, Mich., on Dec. 29, 2011. (Videos by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

Brent Lekvin of Houghton asked Benishek what has been the most surprising thing to happen to him as a newcomer to Congress.

"The multitude of issues," Benishek replied. "The amount of reading involved and getting up to speed on these issues."

A comment from one constituent concerned the Republicans' blocking of bills in the present Congress.

"This Congress has been the least productive in history," the person said. "It seems that every bill that comes through has a poison pill put into it."

As an example of a "poison pill," he mentioned the Keystone XL Pipeline for Tar Sands Oil, added to the recent tax bill.

This constituent explained what he meant by "poison pill": "These bills go through and they have a whole bunch of stuff in them that doesn't have anything to do with the actual issue," he said. "I think it's on purpose."

Benishek accused the Senate of inaction.

"There's 28 bills that we passed that are sitting in the Senate (not acted on)," Benishek said. "It's frustrating when the Senate doesn't act."

Benishek noted the Senate decided to go on vacation for Christmas, preventing the finalizing of bills such as the budget and holding up projects that depend on the budget.

"Part of the problem is we don't have a budget," he said. "When we're funding the government two months at a time it's difficult to get these long-term expenditures into the budget."

One constituent, noting the open-ended character of the budget process, asked if there was ever a plan to put a cap on spending to avoid the government's huge deficit.

Benishek mentioned the Ryan budget, which was a plan to eliminate the debt over 40 years, without raising taxes, like a mortgage; however, the issue is complicated by the fact that people hesitate to make cuts in the "mandatory spending" -- Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- and by the fact that the U.S. borrows so much money from China.

Dr. Samuel Lockwood of Lake Linden asked Benishek if he could help with a grant for the Village of Lake Linden to fund a farmers' market and a gluten-free kitchen. The grant would provide federal funding through the State of Michigan's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Farm to Food program. The grant would allow the Old School Baking Company, based in the E-Center (former St. Joseph School) Building in Lake Linden, to develop a completely gluten-free kitchen for producing a wide array of gluten-free products.

Dr. Samuel Lockwood seeks Benishek's help in acquiring Farm to Food grant funds for the Village of Lake Linden. The federal funds, through the state program, would finance a farmers' market and a gluten-free kitchen. (Photo by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

According to Ed Fisher, Village of Lake Linden president, "The grant has been favorably received, but the funds are not available at the moment."

Benishek said he would try to help, as long as the grant exists.

Despite the frustration with the budget, Benishek indicated he is opposed to rushing legislation.

"To have disagreement and argument -- that's a good thing," he said, "so that we don't move too fast."

Benishek said he believed Obama's health care reform bill was passed too fast, without enough argument, before people understood what was in it.

"Now they're understanding that it's not making our health care any cheaper. It's making things more expensive," Benishek noted.

A woman who said she was on Medicare disagreed.

"I'm not sure you can say the health care bill was rushed through," she said. "I saw dialogue for over a year (on C-SPAN) and discussion and efforts to work on it. Maybe there's a different perspective, but I feel that the health bill overall is a good thing and would help control costs in this country."

Noting how some young people in this area have to work two jobs and still don't have health care, she said she feels Obama's bill is good for the 99 percent.

"They already cut $500 billion out of Medicare to pay for Mr. Obama's health care," Benishek said.* (See note below.)

He added he believed Obama's health care bill would be a problem for small hospitals in the Upper Peninsula.

Benishek discusses his views on health care reform. A constituent argues that Medicare has been much better for her than private insurance.

Rev. Robert Langseth expressed concern about federal forests and taxing companies that extract natural resources that belong to the local community. He said Minnesota's law on taxing taconite mining companies so that some of the profits stay in the local community should be a model.

Benishek talks about streamlining the process of timber sales in federal forests.

Constituents asked Benishek about the future of Social Security as a trust fund, some challenging the idea of privatizing it. First, a young person asked if someone now age 29 can look forward to receiving Social Security at retirement. Next, a senior citizen now on Social Security spoke about defending it.

Congressman Benishek fields constituents' questions on Social Security.

One constituent expressed her belief that taxing the wealthy is not the same as taxing high-income earners, who use their money to create jobs. Benishek noted the wealthy pay most of the taxes in this country.

"Forty-five percent of Americans don't pay income tax," he added.

Benishek expresses his opposition to raising taxes on business owners.

A question on whether the budget has ever dropped in the time of war led Benishek to a criticism of present defense spending -- not only for the war in Afghanistan, but for supporting troops in Germany and other countries that he feels should be paying for their own defense. He said he was against the U.S. spending defense money in Libya and favors withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.

"I went to Afghanistan. I don't think it's a winnable war," Benishek said. "I think we should be out of there."

Benishek also noted he was against "the whole Libya thing." He said he voted against the recent defense appropriations bill.

Dan Schulz of Houghton, an electrical engineering student at Michigan State University, asked Benishek what advice he would give to a college student today.

"I wanted to live in the U.P. That's why I went to med school," Benishek said. "My Dad was killed in a mine. My mother was a widow when I grew up. I stayed in school."

Benishek also noted he believed the military is a good opportunity for young people.

"When you get out you have a lot of options," he said.

Benishek agreed with a constituent that the fact that General Electric paid no taxes was unconscionable.

"I would rather not raise anybody's taxes," Benishek said. "You send money to that hole in Washington and you don't know what they're going to do with it."

Benishek said he's a Republican because he's a fiscal conservative. He ran for Congress, he said, because of the deficit problem. He believes every part of the federal government should be cut.

"I think I vote the way the majority of the people in the district want me to vote," he said.

In fact, Benishek sends out frequent email newsletters telling constituents about current actions in the House of Representatives. He also sends flyers listing a number of issues and asking constituents to check their priorities -- Social Security, jobs, economy, health care, etc. Keweenaw Now asked the Congressman why this list never includes environmental protection as a possible priority.

"You can write it in!" he said.

When asked if environmental protection is a priority for him, considering the potential mining development now going on in the Upper Peninsula, near Lake Superior, Benishek said he believes safety is certainly important but there should be a balance between environment and jobs. He said he has visited Rio Tinto / Kennecott's Eagle Mine near Big Bay and is convinced it is being done safely with protection for the water.

Former Keweenaw County Commissioner Don Keith of Eagle Harbor was positive about the Congressman's presentation.

"Generally I support Mr. Benishek," Keith said. "I do have a concern about his forestry proposal. I just want to be sure that we maintain a high level of stewardship."

Vance Lekvin of Houghton, a student of business and economics at Ripon College in Wisconsin, said he had a good impression of Benishek.

"I think he has the right ideas," Vance noted. "I think he's using common sense. I like the fact that he's trying to represent his constituents as well as he can."

*Editor's Note: FactCheck.org clarifies this $500 billion as cost saving for the future, not cuts to the present Medicare budget or benefits: "Whatever you want to call them, it's a $500 billion reduction in the growth of future spending over 10 years, not a slashing of the current Medicare budget or benefits. It's true that those who get their coverage through Medicare Advantage's private plans (about 22 percent of Medicare enrollees) would see fewer add-on benefits; the bill aims to reduce the heftier payments made by the government to Medicare Advantage plans, compared with regular fee-for-service Medicare. The Democrats' bill also boosts certain benefits: It makes preventive care free and closes the 'doughnut hole,' a current gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors." [See FactCheck.org, 3/19/10]

UPEC article: County Road 595 puts Mulligan Valley at risk

2012-01-03T13:39:00.004-05:00

MARQUETTE -- Jon Saari of UPEC (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition) writes about a wild, roadless area near Mulligan Creek in Marquette County, "dotted by lakes and streams and patches of old-growth forest," which, despite a conservation easement of protection, could be at risk if the Mulligan Truck Trail for nearby logging should be used for the proposed new County Road 595, destined to be a haul road for the Kennecott Mine. Saari gives the history of the Great Kashube Project of the 1980s, a plan to protect 3,000 acres in this area, which never came to fruition. To read this interesting article, click here and go to pp. 4-5 of the UPEC Winter 2011 Newsletter.

From Tech Today: Register now for Community Programs

2012-01-02T18:03:00.009-05:00

HOUGHTON -- It's time to register for Michigan Tech Community Programs. Dollar Days are an excellent and inexpensive way to try out some great activities. You can try out a class for just $2.

Michigan Tech Community Programs will offer Dollar Days Jan. 9-15 for the following classes:

* Beginner Line Dance
* Belly Dance for Fitness
* Introduction to Clogging
* Flirty Girl Fitness (Dance Aerobics)
* Just Spin
* Kickboxing
* Ultimate Conditioning
* Yoga for Fitness
* Zumba

Registration for the first spring session of Community Programs will begin Wednesday, Jan. 4. Click here for the Spring Session 1 Brochure. Class sizes are limited.

You may register in person at SDC Ticketing Operations, by calling 487-2073, or online at Community Programs. If you are taking advantage of any discounts, such as TechFit, SDC Membership, or sibling discounts, please register at Ticketing Operations.

Jada Gullstrand, manager, recreational programs, may be contacted at 487-2975 or jmgullst@mtu.edu if you have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed personally.

Visit the Community Programs Web site for more details.

If you would like to be added to the mail or email list for community programs, please contact the Recreation Department at 487-2975 or email communityprograms@mtu.edu.

Music tonight in Hancock, Calumet

2012-01-02T16:02:00.007-05:00

HANCOCK, CALUMET -- The Ramada Inn in Hancock and the Omphale Café and Gallery in Calumet will host music events TONIGHT, Monday, Jan. 2.

Steven Q. Jones Esquire III and Robert J. Hiltunen II cordially invite you to take a leisurely stroll along with them into the mirky waters from 9 p.m. to midnight tonight, Jan. 2, at the Ramada in Hancock! Also there will be jazz guitars played. Two Tacet.

Greg Wright offers an open invitation to a drum circle at 6 p.m. tonight, Jan. 2, at the Omphale Café and Gallery, north end of 5th Street in Calumet.

"Extra drums provided, but bring 'em if you have 'em," Wright says.

You can become a fan of Keweenaw Music at http://www.facebook.com/keweenawmusic and join the interactive postings there.

Portage Library continues Food for Fines program through January

2012-01-02T13:38:00.006-05:00

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library is continuing its Food for Fines program through the month of January. Patrons can pay up to $10 in overdue fines by bringing non-perishable food items to the library. The food will be donated to local food pantries.

Patrons are encouraged to bring small, individual-sized portions for recipients of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly programs. Large family-size packages and canned goods will be donated to the Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul. Foods that have reached the expiration date or are close to it will not be accepted.

The Food for Fines program is for overdue fines only and does not include money owed to the library for lost or damaged materials.

Those who wish to contribute food yet have no library fines are welcome to do so. All donations will be immensely appreciated.

The library staff thanks everyone who is participating in the Food for Fines program. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

ARTE MAYA 2012 Guatemalan calendars still available

2011-12-30T17:22:00.006-05:00

HANCOCK -- Some beautiful ARTE MAYA Guatemala calendars for 2012 are still available for sale through the Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP).

"When you buy a calendar, you're not only supporting the Guatemalan artists, but also you're supporting the solidarity work of the Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project and our national organization, the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA)," says Sue Ellen Kingsley, CCGAP director. "2012 is probably the last year these gorgeous art calendars will be produced. Thanks to those of you who already bought your calendars!"

Contact Sue Ellen Kingsley at sekingsley@pasty.net and let her know how many calendars you would like to order. The rates depend on quantity: $20 apiece for one or two, $18 apiece for three or four, $15 apiece for five or more. Student rate is $15 each. Include your address if you wish to have the calendars mailed to you.

You can also order them on line at nisgua.org. Click here for more information.

These make a great New Year's or belated Christmas gift!

Snow dog Gromit offers trail snow update

2011-12-30T11:48:00.022-05:00

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club groomer at work along Gromit's favorite Swedetown Creek gorge on Maasto Hiihto Ski Trails. (Photos courtesy Arlyn and Sandy Aronson)

HANCOCK -- Gromit the snow dog reports grooming is taking place on Maasto Hiihto trails but cautions humans to take care and use rock skis.

Grooming goes on at night, too.

"With some white gold falling here yesterday, I sent a pack member out to roll it down," Gromit writes. "He found the trails definitely improved with the modest amount that came. Although they'd still recommend using rock skis out on Keweenaw Nordic's trails."

On Christmas Eve, Gromit reports, "the lake hadn't dumped all that much snow around here so we headed to the North Country Trail near Rockland and brought snowshoes with us in case it was too shallow for skis."

Gromit with Sandy Aronson enjoying a five-hour snowshoe and the view from the North Country Trail near Rockand on Christmas Eve, 2011.

On Dec. 12, Gromit, Sandy and Arlyn took a short drive north of Hancock to do a three-mile hike to the top of a Lookout ridge. "All-paw drive" was needed to get to the top for a view, she says.

Sandy and Arlyn Aronson and Gromit enjoy a view of Lake Superior from their Lookout hike in early December.

Gromit in her element!

See more photos of hiking, skiing and snowshoeing with Gromit in our "low snow" season on Gromit's blog, The Trail Mutt Reports.

Backroom Boys to play for dancing New Year's Eve at Copper Island Beach Club

2011-12-30T01:40:00.005-05:00

HANCOCK -- Bring in the New Year on the wooden dance floor of the Copper Island Beach Club in Hancock with the Backroom Boys from 9 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Dec. 31. Dance the last hours of the old year away to swing, jazz, blues, polkas, and waltzes, all with a touch of New Orleans.

The Backroom Boys are John Munson -- clarinet, sax, and keyboard; Bob Norden -- trombone and vocals; Matthew Durocher -- bass; Oren Tikkanen -- guitar, banjo, and vocals; and possibly Randy Seppala -- washboard, bones, spoons, drums, etc.

Congressman Benishek to meet with constituents in Mohawk Dec. 29

2011-12-28T21:08:00.003-05:00

MOHAWK -- Dan Benishek, U.S. Congressman for Michigan's First District, will host a "Meet-n-Greet" from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29, at Slim's Café, 8 Mohawk Street in Mohawk.

Constituents will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns on issues facing Congress. Casework staff will also be available to assist citizens in need.

Note: No appointment or RSVP is required to attend this event. However, the schedule is subject to change. Therefore, attendees may need to call 989-448-8811 to confirm the event.

HuffPost: Article on Italian Hall disaster by Steve Lehto

2011-12-27T14:02:00.009-05:00

HANCOCK -- Steve Lehto, author of two books on the Italian Hall disaster, recently published an article in the Huffington Post, "The Italian Hall Disaster: One Reason to Observe a Silent Night This Christmas Eve," posted on Dec. 21, 2011.

Lehto notes that Christmas Eve marks the anniversary of the tragic events of Dec. 24, 1913, when someone yelled "Fire" -- a false alarm --during a Christmas party in Calumet's Italian Hall and at least 73 people, mostly children, died in the panic that ensued.

Click here to read the Huffington Post article.

Author Lehto, who is a professor and practicing attorney as well, has researched the Italian Hall tragedy and written about it in Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder and Shortcut: The Seeberville Murders and the Dark Side of the American Dream (To access Steve Lehto's Facebook Resource Page on the Italian Hall, click on the ad on this page for the second book, published this year).

Common Dreams: Utah doctors join law suit against Rio Tinto

2011-12-27T13:44:00.008-05:00

SALT LAKE CITY -- Rio Tinto's Bingham Canyon mine is a large contributor to Salt Lake City's air pollution. (Forbes Magazine rates Salt Lake City's air quality as the ninth most toxic city in the country.)

Dr. Brian Moench, President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists, authors a worthwhile article, posted this morning by mega site CommonDreams.

The article states: "Taking inspiration from the Occupy Movement, last week a group of doctors and environmental groups in Salt Lake City, Utah, announced a law suit against the third largest mining corporation in the world, Rio Tinto, for violating the Clean Air Act in Utah. This is likely the first time ever that physicians have sued industry for harming public health."

Click here to read the article.

Keweenaw Social Dance seeks dancers, musicians for community dance events

2011-12-27T00:15:00.011-05:00

LAKE LINDEN -- Keweenaw Social Dance, a community group, is looking for people who know how to dance cultural dances, hip hop, and more. They are also seeking bands who play anything in the dance genre. Right now they are especially interested in Finnish dancing, in preparation for Hancock's Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Festival in January.

Recently the group held two dances, preceded by dance lessons, at the Little Gem Theater in Lake Linden. The Backroom Boys provided the music for those events, so the dance lessons included Blues, Swing, and Slow Dance.

The Backroom Boys play dance music for the Dec. 23, 2011, Keweenaw Social Dance event at the Little Gem Theater in Lake Linden. (Photo courtesy Chuck Hill. Reprinted with permission.)

Dance instructor Chuck Hill, who started the Social Dance Club at Michigan Tech, is now working on this community based program -- Keweenaw Social Dance.

"It's going to have a lot of the original's dances, but I look to add on to that curriculum," Hill says. "I'm currently teaching East Coast Swing, Slow Dance, Blues, Argentinean Tango, Waltz, Cha Cha, Merengue, and bits and pieces of other dances."

Hill is also working on restoring the Little Gem Theater for events. That means new upholstery, wood floor, paint, sound equipment, lighting, etc., he explains.

"The way it works is seat sponsorship," Hill says. "$75 a seat and your name stays on it forever and you can be part of the effort. I also just got ballet barres and mirrors that I will be installing upstairs for the new program of ballet, jazz, and tap. Little by little."

If you are interested in helping teach Finnish dance or in playing Finnish music in preparation for Heikinpäivä or in helping Chuck Hill plan dance events with local talent, be sure to email him at keweenawsd@gmail.com or call him at 906.370.9532.

Click here for the Heikinpäivä schedule.

New Congressional report says current Congress most anti-environmental in history

2011-12-25T19:34:00.013-05:00

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- A new Congressional report documents the anti-environment record of the First Session of the 112th U.S. House of Representatives.*

It confirms that the 2011 House of Representatives is the most anti-environment House in the history of Congress and highlights House Republicans’ unrelenting assault on basic environmental protections that have existed for decades. The House has averaged more than one anti-environmental vote for every day it was in session during 2011.

The following statement -- issued Dec. 15, 2011 -- is from Martin Hayden, Earthjustice Vice President of Policy and Legislation:

"Earthjustice commends Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Howard Berman (D-CA) for their stunning and thorough report that underscores the breadth and scope of the House of Representatives’ year-long assault on clean air, clean water, public health, public lands and very future of our planet. The report’s findings are simply breathtaking. Under the leadership of House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), the House has voted 191 times to weaken or obliterate environmental protections. Twenty-two percent of all floor votes taken this year have been targeted at denying Americans environmental protections they have long supported. Just this week, Speaker Boehner continued playing political games with our children’s health by burying a provision in the House-passed tax bill to indefinitely delay a long overdue standard to clean up toxic air emissions, including mercury, from industrial boilers and incinerators. The boilers rider would cause thousands of Americans to die unnecessarily every year, and thousands more to suffer serious and debilitating illness."

The report includes examples of Congressional votes and legislation on such topics as blocking efforts to prevent climate change; undermining the Clean Air Act; undermining the Clean Water Act; removing protections for public lands, fish and wildlife; weakening safety requirements for offshore drilling; cutting support for clean energy technologies and programs; allowing unsafe disposal of toxic coal ash; curtailing review of the Keystone XL Pipeline; reducing funding for environmental protection; and obstructing the regulatory process.

* Click here to access this Dec. 15, 2011, report by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Minority Staff.

Editor's Notes: This press release from Earthjustice was forwarded to Keweenaw Now by the Northwood Alliance, Conover, Wis.

Earthjustice update: "On December 21, 2011, the Obama administration issued the first-ever limits on power plants' emissions of mercury, arsenic and other toxic pollutants. Earthjustice played a critical role in achieving these critical protections."

Click here for the Earthjustice Dec. 21, 2011, press release.

Videos: Noteworthy women's chorus in Calumet

2011-12-24T17:17:00.011-05:00

CALUMET -- The Noteworthy women's chorus braved a chilly Dec. 2 First Friday in Calumet to offer their voices in song in several locations, beginning with the tree lighting ceremony near the Calumet Theatre ...

At the Main Street Calumet tree lighting on Dec. 2, 2011, members of the Noteworthy women's chorus join Bob Norden and fellow musicians in singing a Christmas favorite. (Video clips by Keweenaw Now)

Noteworthy singers entertain visitors to the Copper Country Associated Artists Gallery in Calumet during First Friday festivities on Dec. 2, 2011.

Editor's Note: Watch for a slide show with photos of Calumet events, coming soon ...

Happy holidays from Keweenaw Now!

2011-12-24T12:06:00.006-05:00

Keweenaw Now wishes all our readers, contributors and supporters a very peaceful, safe and joyful holiday season!

This year we have tried to connect you with important issues and events -- not just in the Keweenaw, but also beyond, thanks to our guest reporters and our links on Twitter.

We welcome your letters and comments. Tell us what you like / don't like about our postings and offer us suggestions of what you'd like to see in 2012.

We wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year!

Keweenaw Now photo: "Paloma de la paz," by Gustavo Bourdieu.

Letter: Give Earth a break

2011-12-23T13:31:00.011-05:00

Editor's Note: This letter is a comment on our Dec. 16, 2011, article, "Dems turn out for Congressional Candidate Gary McDowell at fundraiser in Hancock."

IRON COUNTY, Mich. -- I’m sure Gary McDowell is a fine person but I feel he is a fence walker.

Asked about whether he agreed with the platform of the League of Conservation Voters, McDowell said he believes in a proper balance between economic opportunities and environmental protection.

"It's not either or," he said. "We have to protect the environment. We can do it. We've done it in the past and we have to continue to do that."

We have not protected our environment in the past. Yes, laws were passed, but the laws were written to let potential polluters legally pollute. The cumulative effects of the pollution are showing ever increasing signs of negative health effects. The dangers are more prevalent today with the mining and possible nuclear dump sites.

So, it is a matter of "either or." It’s time to give the Earth a break. Governments and politicians have catered to industry for at least a century. The dream of prosperity has denigrated our lives.

As stated in the article:

Toward the end of his talk, Gary McDowell answers a question on the Rio Tinto / Kennecott Eagle Mine, noting the importance of funding the Department of Environmental Quality to see that it's done right.

Well, can’t argue that but I would like to elaborate.

I called McDowell’s office with concerns others and I had with the Eagle Mine. He and nine other State Representatives were sent an e-mail detailing how the DEQ ignored enforcing the law, Part 632. As you may or may not know, the Eagle Project is proceeding full speed ahead. All the money in the world does not mean things will be done right if the law is not enforced.

If Mr. McDowell wins he can say all he wants about the DEQ. He will be in the Federal Government and will not have any control over the DEQ. McDowell had his chance as a State Representative.

I realize politicians need to say things in ambiguous appealing ways to get votes or stay in office. It’s the voters who should hold the politicians responsible.

I guess we need to ask ourselves if we are satisfied with "either or." Maybe we need to change the dream. Change the dream or at least have a common definition of the word prosperity in which the health of the Earth is foremost. With a healthy Earth all the rest will fall into place.

Rich Sloat
Iron County, Mich.

Dance to Backroom Boys' live music TONIGHT at Little Gem in Lake Linden

2011-12-23T13:03:00.016-05:00

LAKE LINDEN -- Keweenaw Social Dance will host a second dance with music by the Backroom Boys TONIGHT, Friday, Dec. 23, at the Little Gem in Lake Linden.

The Backroom Boys -- Oren Tikkanen on banjo, John Munson on clarinet and Bob Norden on trombone -- possibly joined by other musicians, will again play dance music for a social dance at the Little Gem Theater in Lake Linden TONIGHT, Friday, Dec. 23. Dance lessons are at 6 p.m. and dancing begins at 7:30 p.m. (Photo courtesy Oren Tikkanen)

Dance lessons -- blues, swing, and slow dance with Chuck Hill -- are at 6 p.m., followed by dancing to the Backroom Boys at 7:30 p.m. Cover is $5 and BYOB welcomed. The Little Gem is a great venue for dancing and listening in the old school building across from the high school on the main street in Lake Linden.

International Folk Dancers are canceling tonight's folk dancing to attend this social dance in Lake Linden.

Remember 1/4 of the proceeds are going towards fixing up the Little Gem Theater; and, if you're interested in contributing, make sure to ask about how you can sponsor a seat that will bear your name forever!

Contact Chuck Hill for more information by emailing keweenawsd@gmail.com or call (906) 370.9532.

Public Notice: Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council

2011-12-22T02:56:00.011-05:00

Please consider serving on the Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council during January - April, 2012.

Project Background

The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) received a Michigan Coastal Zone Management/DEQ/NOAA grant to prepare a Pilgrim River Watershed Management Plan. A Watershed Management Plan includes a fact-based assessment of water quality, the fishery, habitats, land uses, road and stream crossings, any impairments and other factors impacting water quality of the river and surrounding land. This factual information along with community input is used to develop a plan with voluntary recommendations to help the community understand and manage a healthy watershed.

A Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council is being established to gather public input.

Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council

Residents, landowners, government officials, businesses, commercial interests, community organizations, recreational users, and concerned citizens are invited to serve on the Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council. Council members will schedule three or four public meetings during January-April, 2012, lasting one to two hours each, to review and discuss information collected on the Pilgrim River and surrounding lands. All interested people are welcome to participate.

Please contact Sue Haralson, HKCD Administrator, at 906-482-0214 or by email at sue.haralson@mi.nacdnet.net if you have questions or would like to serve on the Pilgrim River Watershed Advisory Council. The Council will be established in early January, 2012, so please call Sue as soon as possible. Thank you for your interest!

Happy Holidays from the Pilgrim River Watershed Management Plan project team!

Stabenow: Bipartisan legislation to extend middle class tax cut rejected by House as deadline looms

2011-12-20T18:43:00.012-05:00

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow today made the following statement after House Republicans rejected Senate legislation, which passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 89-10 over the weekend, to extend a critical tax cut for middle-class families. Unless Congress acts before the end of this month, a two-percent payroll tax cut for middle-class families will expire at the end of the year, and families will see an average tax hike of approximately one thousand dollars.

"I am deeply disappointed that House Republicans have rejected a bipartisan plan to extend a critical tax cut for middle-class families. The vast majority of Americans simply cannot afford to get hit with a tax hike starting January 1st. An overwhelming number of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate came together to prevent this tax hike, but unfortunately House Republicans continue to play politics."

Senate Democrats first proposed a one-year payroll tax cut extension earlier this year -- which also would have expanded the payroll tax to give the average middle class family in Michigan an additional $400 tax cut (for a total of about $1400), and also cut payroll taxes for small businesses -- paid for by a 3.25 percent surtax on income in excess of one million dollars. Republicans rejected that.

Senate Republicans then put forward their own plan paid for by a variety of spending cuts and fees, including increasing Medicare costs for seniors -- BUT A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS rejected their own party’s plan.

Democrats then offered a compromise one-year extension by dropping a tax cut for businesses, but keeping the expanded payroll tax cut for middle-class families, paid for with a mix of Republican proposals as well as a 1.9 percent millionaire surcharge. Republicans rejected that.

Finally, Senate Democrats agreed to drop any surcharge on millionaires whatsoever, reaching a bipartisan compromise with Republicans on a two-month extension funded by increasing the fees that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge mortgage lenders. A two-month extension was all that could be negotiated with Senate Republicans, but that extension at least keeps middle-class families from being hit with a tax increase while negotiations continue on a longer term tax cut. That bill passed 89-10.

House Republicans have now rejected the Senate’s bipartisan compromise to extend the payroll tax cut. The House instead voted to create yet another committee to further negotiate this issue while the clock ticks toward a $1,000 tax increase on the middle-class January 1st.

Editor's note: According to an email from U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), it was Tea Party Republicans who blocked a bipartisan bill to extend President Obama’s payroll tax cut.

"Now, middle class Americans could see their taxes increase by $1,000 on January 1st unless Speaker Boehner, Eric Cantor and House Republicans back down from their extreme stance," Pelosi said.

Click here to see House Floor activities for Dec. 20, 2011 and click on Roll No. 946 to see how your Congressman voted.

Opinion: Thoughts on Kennecott tactics

2011-12-20T01:38:00.008-05:00

By Jack Parker*

1. In the permitting process since February 2006 Kennecott has simply denied all wrongdoing, including fraud and endangerment of life, limb, property and environment, but without bothering to show that our evidence was incorrect.
2. In that stance they were backed by Rio Tinto and enabled by MDEQ, consistently.
3. With the help of MDEQ they were granted permits, not following Part 632 of Michigan Mining Law; and they have forged ahead with mine construction, illegally, with supreme confidence and arrogance.
4. It would seem that they had been guaranteed that all permits would be issued, without a shadow of a doubt.
5. The Courts have consistently backed Kennecott, as if they too were in on a conspiracy. Even the Michigan Attorney General, Bill Schuette, declined to investigate and prosecute, which is his job.
6. The general public is not well informed because the media are controlled by the business interests.
7. The Feds do not intervene because permitting is under State Law. MSHA is now on the scene because part of the operation is now underground. That may give us some fresh professional leverage on the fraudulent mine design issue -- the design is such that collapse is predicted.**
8. So it seems that Kennecott is pushing toward a fait accompli -- a "done deal" -- for which a reversal of all permits would be politically and publicly difficult.
9. What comes to mind now is that Kennecott, with help from MDEQ, may be blustering mildly and continuing with construction for just a few more months -- at which time the Michigan Statutes of Limitation (6 years for fraud) will have run out, leaving them free to do as they please.
10. Under a different heading, "Judgment," the limit is 10 years, renewable for a further 10 years.
11. Do you suppose that their plan is to run down the clock?
12. Will we prevent that happening? Tempus fugit …

Editor's Notes:
* Keweenaw Now guest writer Jack Parker of Baltic, semi-retired mining engineer / geologist, specializes in practical rock mechanics.

** Jack Parker has published two reports on the instability of Rio Tinto-Kennecott's Eagle Mine. See our Dec. 6, 2010, article, "Mining expert Jack Parker says Eagle Mine likely to collapse."

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club to meet Dec. 21

2011-12-20T01:11:00.006-05:00

HANCOCK -- Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) will hold their monthly meeting at 7 p.m. this Wednesday, Dec. 21, at the Hancock Chalet (Houghton County Fairgrounds, Driving Park). All are welcome. Questions: email jbgreen45@charter.net or call 906-487-5411.

President Obama signs battery legislation

2011-12-19T17:45:00.020-05:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Obama has signed legislation enacting a key part of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s Battery Innovation Act to spur the development of new cutting-edge battery technology and create jobs here in America. The provision enacted would create an Energy Innovation Hub for advanced batteries to help continue the expansion of this growing new technology sector.

An Energy Innovation Hub for advanced batteries would bring together businesses, universities, and nonprofits in a central location to work together on new battery technologies. Similar hubs already exist to spur the development of other energy efficient products and to improve nuclear reactor design. Doing the same for advanced batteries will spur innovation in one of Michigan’s key new economic sectors.

"It is essential that Michigan lead in advanced battery research and production," said Sen. Stabenow. "Advanced battery companies are taking root in Michigan and creating jobs, and we must do everything in our power to help Michigan become the advanced battery capital of the world. If leading researchers in business, universities, and other institutions combine forces, we can make Michigan a magnet for investment in these cutting edge technologies."

Stabenow’s Battery Innovation Act is the first comprehensive plan offering Michigan companies the support they need to expand advanced battery production and job growth and ensure that America wins the race in the development of new advanced energy technologies. The Act incorporates all aspects of advanced battery production, from research and development, to the availability of raw materials, to the manufacturing of these high-tech products. The Act builds off initiatives Senator Stabenow championed in 2009, which helped Michigan become a leader in this new and growing industry. It is estimated that initiative has generated over $2 billion in private sector investment and created thousands of Michigan jobs.

The House of Representatives passed the legislation which will create an advanced battery hub, last week. The Senate passed and the president signed the bill on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011.

Dems turn out for Congressional Candidate Gary McDowell at fundraiser in Hancock

2011-12-16T18:08:00.041-05:00

By Michele Bourdieu

Gary McDowell, Michigan First District Congressional candidate, speaks to a crowd gathered in Hancock's Orpheum Theater (Studio Pizza) on Dec. 11, 2011, during a fundraiser for his campaign, hosted by the Houghton County Democratic Party.
(Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- Michigan First District Congressional Candidate Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) says he's looking forward to a rematch against U.S. Rep. Dan Benishek (R-Iron River), who now holds this seat after defeating McDowell by a slim margin in 2010, just a few months after former Congressman Bart Stupak, who held the position for 18 years, had announced his retirement.

Brian Rendel, Houghton County Democratic Party co-chair, introduces Michigan First District Congressional Candidate Gary McDowell (seated facing the audience in blue sweater) to a large crowd in the Orpheum Theater in Hancock at the Dec. 11 campaign fundraiser.

Speaking to a large crowd gathered in Hancock's Studio Pizza and Orpheum Theater for a Dec. 11 fundraiser in his honor, hosted by the Houghton County Democratic Party, McDowell pointed out how Benishek's campaign statements contradicted his votes -- especially on the issues of Social Security and Medicare. Benishek voted for a budget that would eventually eliminate Medicare and reduce Social Security, McDowell said:

During the Dec. 11 fundraiser for his campaign, Michigan First District Congressional Candidate Gary McDowell explains why he plans to run against U.S. Rep. Dan Benishek in the 2012 election. (Video clips by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

McDowell, who formerly served as a state representative in the Michigan House, noted also that Benishek voted for trade agreements that have taken away jobs from Michigan workers, favors tax cuts and subsidies for big oil companies, and has voted against the environment on issues such as EPA regulation of mercury.

"We cannot balance the budget on our senior citizens and working families," McDowell said.

Gary McDowell speaks about his campaign to beat U.S. Rep. Dan Benishek for the Michigan First District Congressional seat.

McDowell added he plans to run an "aggressive" and "hard-hitting" campaign against Benishek. He attributed his loss in 2010 to the fact that many Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents did not vote in that election. He said the atmosphere is different now.

"We have to start now," McDowell said. "I'm sure everybody's mailboxes are being flooded with all the fliers saying 'Benishek saves.' We need to get the truth out, get the other side out, write letters to the editor, point out what his budget will do, who's funding this," McDowell said. "We have to get our people to get out and vote."

He noted his campaign has a high priority nationally with the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), as well as the support of unions and the League of Conservation Voters.

"This race is going to be one of the hottest races in the whole United States," McDowell said. "It's going to be the only competitive seat in Michigan in the general election."

McDowell encouraged the Democrats in the audience to work with their local party. He praised the leadership and hard work of the Houghton Democratic Party and noted high enthusiasm among Ontonagon Democrats he recently visited:

Fielding questions from Mike Shupe, owner of Studio Pizza, and Bill Fink, McDowell comments on the Supreme Court treatment of corporations as persons, the Koch brothers and the recent Republican agenda in the Michigan state legislature.

McDowell noted as a model the organization of the Obama campaign in 2008 and the numbers of volunteers that made it a success. At that time McDowell was running for re-election as a state representative and asked his daughters to help with his campaign. He joked about the fact that they said they didn't have time to help him.

"I said, 'Girls, can you help me?' They said, 'No, Dad, we've got to get Barack Obama elected President.'"

Asked about whether he agreed with the platform of the League of Conservation Voters, McDowell said he believes in a proper balance between economic opportunities and environmental protection.

"It's not either or," he said. "We have to protect the environment. We can do it. We've done it in the past and we have to continue to do that."

Pat Gottschalk noted the high cost of college tuition today was putting a great financial burden on students and their families.

"This whole anti-tax thing is just abominable," she said.

Gottschalk said pointing out to people the difference in the cost of education with and without taxes should create awareness among those who oppose taxes but need them to pay for their children's education.

McDowell mentioned more than once his concern for investing in education. He noted the young people participating in the Occupy movement are evidence that higher education must be made more affordable for the middle class.

Melinda Quivek of Houghton asked McDowell to talk about his position on the Rio Tinto Eagle Mine:

Toward the end of his talk, Gary McDowell answers a question on the Rio Tinto / Kennecott Eagle Mine, noting the importance of funding the Department of Environmental Quality to see that it's done right.

Since McDowell's visit followed the Houghton County Democratic Party's monthly meeting, the audience included a number of active Democrats as well as visitors. The general reaction to the candidate was positive.

Joe Hernandez, Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech, was optimistic about McDowell's campaign.

"He's got a great chance," Hernandez said. "People are finally motivated to get out and vote. There's a lot of 'buyer's remorse' about the last election."

Mike Lahti of Hancock, who says he sat next to McDowell when they were both state representatives, had praise for his friend and colleague.

"Gary is a real fighter on issues for seniors, the needy and the young -- and also for the U.P. and U.P. jobs," Lahti said. "He's a tireless worker. In my time in the (Michigan) House, he was well respected and very effective. He would be an effective Congressman for Northern Michigan."

After his presentation, Gary McDowell chatted with people in the audience, including Rolf Peterson, Michigan Tech wildlife ecologist and co-director of the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Study, and his wife, Carolyn Peterson.

Janet Gregorich of Painesdale, longtime member of the Houghton County Democratic Party, told McDowell it was "disheartening" to see so many people in Houghton County vote Republican in the last election.

"We've got to turn these people around," she said.

Reba Andrews of Hancock was impressed with McDowell.

"I thought he was excellent," Andrews said. "He readily answered our questions."

Pat Bacon of Hancock said, "I asked him about the possibility of closing military bases overseas. He agreed (about closing unnecessary bases)."

Elise Matz, Houghton County Democratic Party vice-chair for communications, says she considers McDowell to be the Democrats' incumbent.

"He's experienced," Matz said. "He's got the know-how, the help and the experience to put together a campaign that can beat Benishek; and, given the fact that this could be an extra Democratic seat in the House, I think it's important that Democrats line up behind him early."

For more information about Gary McDowell's congressional campaign, visit his Web site: http://mcdowellforcongress.com.

Michigan Tech international student dies in car accident

2011-12-16T18:03:00.007-05:00

HOUGHTON -- Keweenaw Now expresses deep condolences to the family of Zhang Yue, an international graduate student in electrical engineering, who died Wednesday, Dec. 14, in a car accident in Ontonagon County. He leaves behind a wife and young child, currently residing in Minnesota, and family in China.

Michigan Tech's Office of International Programs and Services (IPS) is working with the Chinese Students and Scholars Association to ensure that Zhang Yue's memory is properly honored. If you would like additional information about how you can offer your sympathy or condolences to Zhang Yue's family, please contact Thy Yang, IPS director, at thyy@mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech Archives manuscript collections now searchable

2011-12-15T21:53:00.013-05:00

HOUGHTON -- A group of new online search tools has enhanced the search and discovery of historical records in the collections of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections in Houghton, Michigan.

This photo shows Army cadets in the military-mining course at the Michigan College of Mines visiting the Quincy mine in 1918. The photograph was included in illustrated weekly reports produced by the campus training program during World War I. (Image #MTU-166-03-0001, Michigan Tech Archives. Photo courtesy Erik Nordberg, Michigan Tech University archivist.)*

The improved access is the result of a two-year project to improve description of the Archives’ extensive holdings of regional manuscript material. The initiative was funded through a $167,600 grant from the National Historical Records and Publications Commission, a division of the National Archives and Records Administration.

During the project, Archives’ staff conducted a box-level survey of its entire collection, totaling more than 7,000 cubic feet and including personal papers, diaries, organizational records, business materials, mining company records, maps, newspapers, and other historical documents. The project identified more than 700 discrete collections and created standardized descriptions providing information about the size, content, and dates of coverage for each collection.

These descriptions have been revealed to potential researchers throughout the world via a number of online tools. A full listing of the collections -- including collection number, title, and brief description -- is now available on the Michigan Tech Archives blog: http://blogs.mtu.edu/archives/nhprc-cataloging-project/collection-registers/.

Catalog records for each collection are also available on the Voyager catalog at Michigan Tech’s Van Pelt and Opie Library: http://ils.lib.mtu.edu/vwebv/searchAdvanced. Visitors may limit their searches by the location "Archives Manuscript Collection." These records allow searches of collection names, keywords in their brief descriptions and histories, and also allow using standardized subject headings.

Versions of these catalog records are also searchable through WorldCat, an international bibliographic database maintained by the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), a global cooperative of libraries, archives, and museums. The general public can search the main WorldCat catalog: http://www.worldcat.org/. Participating OCLC member institutions may also search these records through the FirstSearch version of WorldCat which allows researchers to limit type to "Archival Materials" and limit availability to library code "EZT" for Michigan Tech archival collection records.

For further information, contact the Michigan Tech Archives at 906-487-2505 or at copper@mtu.edu.

* The Keweenaw Digital Archives, a web-based collection of historical photographic images of Michigan’s Copper Country, added its 10,000th image on November 19, 2011. The collection is drawn primarily from the photographic holdings of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collations and documents the social and industrial life of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Rozsa to present "A Christmas Carol" Dec. 16-17

2011-12-15T16:20:00.012-05:00

HOUGHTON -- Bring the entire family to the holiday classic, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, in a spectacular, heart-warming Christmas production performed by the Nebraska Theatre Caravan, at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts on the Michigan Tech campus.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16-17. Tickets for adults are $28, seniors $24, and students $20.

This lavish, full-scale Broadway-style production, boasting a cast of 27 people and live musicians, has now been touring for over 30 years! This time-tested tale artfully blends the classic story with rousing arrangements of traditional carols like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Wassail, Wassail," "Good King Wenceslas," "Greensleeves" and many more. Combining supernatural with the sentimental, both children and grown-ups alike will be delighted with this treasured theatrical event. Sponsored by the James and Margaret Black Endowment.

And in the spirit of Christmas giving, please join the staff of the Rozsa Center along with the cast of A Christmas Carol in a Class Acts Children’s Outreach Series fundraiser, "A Toast to the Holidays!" at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17. Fundraiser tickets are $20 for adults, and kids under twelve are $10. 100% of the profits from the afternoon’s event will benefit the Class Acts Children’s Outreach Series.

Eat, drink and be merry with the cast of A Christmas Carol! Fun for the entire family: Includes food, cider, cocoa, cookie decorating, and all for a good cause! Why? The mission of the Class Acts program at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts is to present a diverse program of performing arts events for young audiences in the Copper Country Intermediate School District.

The program is designed to entertain and educate students and to enrich the school curriculum with performances by professionals from a broad range of disciplines. Sing carols, raise a glass, or dance with Ole Fezziwig; a rousing good time will be had by all -- and all in the name of charity and good will! Happy Holidays from all of us at the Rozsa Center!

To purchase tickets, call (906)487-2073, go online at tickets.mtu.edu, or visit Ticketing Operations at Michigan Tech’s Student Development Complex (SDC), 600 MacInnes Drive, in Houghton. SDC Box Office hours are 8 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, and noon - 8 p.m. Sunday. Please note the Rozsa Box Office is not open during regular business hours, and is only open two hours prior to event times.