See our right-hand column for announcements and news briefs. Scroll down the right-hand column to access the Archives -- links to articles posted in the main column since 2007. See details about our site, including a way to comment, in the yellow text above the Archives.
Poster for Treaty Awareness Walk courtesy Joseph Hock.
LANSING -- Michigan Idle No More members and friends have been walking from Rexton, Mich., to Lansing since Sept. 19 and expect to arrive in Lansing tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 6, for a march near the Capitol to mark the first leg of their Treaty Awareness Walk to Washington, D.C.
The walkers hope to raise awareness of the 1836 Treaty of Washington between the United States and representatives of the Ottawa and Chippewa nations of Michigan -- which was done to avoid forced removal of the indigenous people living in Michigan and which guaranteed rights of hunting, fishing and gathering in the ceded territories. These rights are threatened by the State of Michigan's projected land sale/exchange of about 10,000 acres to Graymont, a Canadian mining company, for limestone mining in the eastern Upper Peninsula.*
They are also marching to show their concerns about Enbridge's Line 5, a 62-year-old oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac which many have asked to be shut down because of the threat of a potential oil spill.**
Anyone who wishes to join the walkers in Lansing should meet them in front of the Lansing Center, 333 E Michigan Ave., at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 6 (see star on map below).
This map shows the route for the Treaty Awareness Walk near the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy Angeline OzhaashkweBiik Antoine of Idle No More Michigan).
Supporters of the Walk can make donations on line to help the walkers with their 900-mile journey. Visittreatyawareness.com to learn more. Follow the Walk on Facebook here.
Walkers in the Journey of Nishiyuu arrive in Ottawa today. (Photo by Paul Seesequasis. Reprinted with permission.)
OTTAWA -- The Journey of Nishiyuu (quest for unity) walkers have arrived in Ottawa. Watch this livestream on Occupy Toronto: http://www.occupyto.org/occupy-toronto-tv/
More than 70 countries are watching this live.
The original 7 walkers leave northern Quebec in January on their 1600 km walk to Ottawa. Joined by many along the way, they just arrived today in Ottawa. (File photo by Stanley Jason George)
They have walked 1600 km from Hudson Bay to demonstrate the strength of Cree culture and First Nations unity. Visit their Facebook page for photos and more information.
Posted March 21, 2013, on United in Defense of the Water
Reprinted with permission
ASHLAND, WIS. -- A Penokee Water Walk will be held, Friday, March 22, beginning at 8 a.m. at Bad River Wake House located just east of the Ashland City Limits.
This will be a 30.2 mile, 1-day Voluntary Journey in honor of International World Water Day 2013, the Misa Ziibii (Mississippi) Water Walk 2013 and local efforts to prevent sulfide mining in Northern Wisconsin.
The People of the Chequamegon Bay Region are Idle No More and will be gathering to collect water from Tyler Forks to walk with it in Ceremony from the Bad River Wake House, to Legendary Waters Resort and Casino in Red Cliff. This journey is to exemplify solidarity for the health and well-being of our home, here in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin.
Here is the schedule for anyone wishing to be present for the Prayer at Tyler Forks: 6 a.m. -- Depart Odanah from Chief Blackbird Center 6:45 a.m. -- Arrive at Tyler Forks 7:15 a.m. -- Depart Tyler Forks 8 a.m. -- Arrive at Bad River Wake House to start walking to Red Cliff
In conjunction with the walk, a fundraising effort will be held at the Legendary Waters Convention Center in Red Cliff beginning at 5 p.m. The agenda will include
speakers, discussion, food and refreshments.
Since the Water will be prayed for in a Sacred Manner, certain protocols for participation in the walk must be adhered to:
PROTOCOLS
1. All participants in this walk are at all times like the water, a reflection of the beauty of our home. We ask that participants be humble, respectful, determined and focused while they enjoy this walk, especially when carrying the water or staff. DO NOT HARASS, DISRESPECT OR HARM ANY ADVERSARY ALONG THIS PATH. Police protection will be available, if we need them.
2. People of ALL NATIONS are welcome to join the Walk and carry the water and/or staff; PROVIDED they adhere to these Protocols.
3. Be respectful of the water and Eagle Staff. Carry them with self-respect, dignity, and humility as though they are as precious as an infant child.
4. ONLY WOMEN CARRY THE WATER. This is the Women’s responsibility.
5. Women must wear SKIRTS when walking.
6. ALTHOUGH BOTH MEN AND WOMEN MAY CARRY THE EAGLE STAFF, Women on their Moon Time (Menstrual Cycle) must refrain from carrying the staff and water, but they can walk behind the Walkers at any time.
7. Once the Water is in motion, IT CANNOT GO BACKWARDS AND IT CANNOT STOP. Be sure to gauge your pace at stop lights to continue moving.
8. With the exception of Elders, the walkers will change every 10-20 minutes.
9. An offering of Asema (Tobacco) will be given at every bridged waterway along the route.
10. Weather conditions are expected to be in the 30s; wear appropriate clothing, especially comfortable shoes with good soles and SUNSCREEN.
11. Hydrate often, but remember, we will only have access to restrooms at certain points along the route. Also, BRING ENERGY SNACKS.
12. It is preferred, but not necessary, that when the Eagle Staff and Water is being passed to the next set of Walkers, the words: "NINGA-IJI-CHI-GAY-NIBI-ONJI" are said by
both the carriers and the recipients. It means: "I DO THIS FOR THE WATER." This phrase may also be said in English.
13. If you have a vehicle, be sure to have adequate fuel and USE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WHEN WAITING FOR, OR DRIVING BEHIND, THE WATER WALKERS. PARK OFF-ROAD IF POSSIBLE WHEN WAITING FOR WALKERS.
ANYONE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE OR HELP WITH THE CHEQUAMEGON WATER WALK 2013 can contact the following people: Edith Leoso, (715) 292-8286 THPO@badriver-nsn.gov or; Georgianne Olin, (715) 682-7127 ext. 1440.
WATERSMEET, MICH. -- Come join the Lac Vieux Desert (LVD) and Watersmeet community in Idle No More Spirit walk, youth fundraiser, drumming services, and Round-dance on Friday, Feb. 15. The Spirit walk will start at 4:30 p.m. Central Time in Nordine's Plaza (located near the intersection of HWY 2 and HWY 45) and will end at the Lac Vieux Desert Rec center, UTC-06 (located near the Lac Vieux Desert Tribal offices).
After the Spirit walk there will be drumming services and presentations by guest speakers in the Lac Vieux Desert Rec center.
Lac Vieux Desert (LVD) youth join the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Idle No More walk in Baraga on Jan. 11, 2013. LVD will hold their own Spirit walk and youth fundraiser on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in Watersmeet, Mich. (Keweenaw Now file photo)
The Indian taco sale will start at 11 a.m. Central Time and Idle No More shirts will be sold throughout the day at the LVD Rec center. All proceeds will go to the LVD and Watersmeet youths' future Idle No More involvement and other youth activities.
Please come out and show your support for our future leaders and protection of our Mother earth.
"Injustice for one is injustice for all."
Everyone is welcome! If you are unable to join the Spirit walk meet the group at the LVD Rec center.
The original walkers on the 1500-km Journey of Nishiyuu on Jan. 20, 2013. (Photo by Stanley Jason George)
CHISASIBI, QUEBEC --The Quest of Wisjinichu-Nishiyuu, Quest for Unity -- also known as the Journey of Nishiyuu -- is the ultimate "Idle No More" walk -- begun about two weeks ago by a group of seven young Cree men, mostly in their teens, with two guides, who intend to walk 1500 kilometers from Whapmagoostui on Hudson Bay to Parliament Hill in Ottawa to demonstrate the strength of Cree culture and unity among First Nations.
Robert Savoie posted on the Journey of Nishiyuu Facebook page this possible itinerary from Chief Stanley Jason George. Click on image for larger version.
According to their Facebook page, "This is a strong message to prove to other First Nations across Canada that the Cree Nation of Quebec are not sellouts, but keepers of
the Language, Culture, Tradition and more importantly: today, we still carry the sacred laws of our ancestors."
On Friday, Feb. 1, they arrived in Chisasibi, Quebec, where they were joined by 16 more walkers.
James Napash took this photo of friends, families and other supporters of the walkers as they set off from Chisasibi on Feb. 4 to continue the journey. "A lot of people came to the Elders camp to show their support for the walkers. Tears were shed, prayers were said, we hugged one another, we are united and together we stand," he says in his post on the Journey of Nishiyuu Facebook page. "Historic Journey, The Journey of Nishiyuu. A movement that will echo for so many years to come. Our Legends have awoken. Today was a powerful day! Breathtaking, truly an amazing sight to see." (Photo by James Napash)
In a radio interview that day on cbc.ca, former Grand Chief Matthew Mukash spoke to Melissa Natachequan about the challenges the walkers face. These include, he said, not only facing the elements -- extreme cold, especially at night, and storms -- but possible conflicts in human relationships and home sickness. Chief Matthew also spoke about the benefits of the experience. Walking on the land "gives you energy," he noted. The walkers may feel the land is communicating with them and helping them see more clearly and put aside negative feelings and thoughts.
"Picture taken earlier today as they went off into the woods to their next destination to the Cree Nation of Wemindji," writes James Napash on Feb. 4, 2013. (Photo by James Napash)
"This journey is not only about the Native people," Chief Matthew said. "It's ultimately about human survival ... on the importance of protecting the land, the environment and the way of life of people. ...We're destroying the environment at a pace that it's getting really, really dangerous -- and also because of the climate change."*
He said these young walkers understand this and have talked to their elders about it. The youth hope, by walking, to "wake up humanity."
The walkers left Chisasibi Monday, Feb. 4, to continue the journey.
Feb. 5, 2013, update from cbc.ca: "As the Nishiyuu Journey gets larger, the chief of Whapmagoostui says people need to step forward to help support the walkers. When the Journey left Chisasibi on Monday, it had grown from 7 walkers to over 30."
WATERSMEET, MICH. -- The Idle No More spirit walk that was scheduled by Lac Vieux Desert for this afternoon, Monday, Jan. 28, has been cancelled. Roads are hazardous.
SECOND UPDATE: Please note: This event has been cancelled. Roads are hazardous.
UPDATED: WATERSMEET -- All are welcome to join the Lac Vieux Desert (LVD) Youth in an Idle No More spirit walk on Monday, Jan. 28. They will be meeting at 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time (5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) at the intersection of HWY 2 and HWY 45 and doing a spirit walk to the LVD Rec center (located next to the LVD Tribal offices). Drumming services and guest speakers will follow.
Lac Vieux Desert Youth join the Jan. 11, 2013, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Idle No More Walk to express solidarity with the global movement for indigenous rights and environmental justice. (Keweenaw Now file photo)
There will be an Indian taco sale at the LVD Rec center. All the proceeds will go to the LVD youth and their future involvement in Idle No More. Please come out and show
your support for the cause and these young leaders.
"Injustice for one is injustice for all."
Everyone is welcome. If you are unable to do the walk just meet the group at the LVD Rec center.
Editor's Note: The round dance that was scheduled for Monday, Jan. 28, in Baraga, by members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Idle No More group has been cancelled. KBIC members will be attending this LVD event in Watersmeet instead.
Photo courtesy #idlenomore, Facebook page for the Idle No More movement, posted on Jan. 15, 2013, birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Reprinted with permission.
Keweenaw Now extends thanks to the Idle No More Facebook page (#idlenomore) for permission to publish the above photo of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His statement is an inspiration for their peaceful global protest to reclaim indigenous people's rights to their treaty rights and protection of land and water.
Michigan Tech to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., at banquet Jan. 21
HOUGHTON -- The 24th annual MLK banquet will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21, in Michigan Tech's MUB Ballroom. The event will feature guest speaker Dr. Tricia Rose, who will give a presentation on the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Legacies of the Civil Rights Era. Tickets are free and can be picked up at Hamar House, Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), on the Michigan Tech campus.
For more information contact Dr. Renee Wells, CDI assistant director, at (906) 487-1829.
Participants in the Jan. 11, 2013, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Idle No More Rally/Walk set out from Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College and walk to the KBIC Senior Citizens' Center in Baraga to express their solidarity with the global movement for indigenous rights and environmental justice. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)
BARAGA -- Brightening up the end of a wet, drizzly day with their colorful regalia, signs, drums, songs and chants, participants in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
(KBIC) Idle No More Rally/Walk in Baraga expressed their solidarity with indigenous people asserting treaty rights and environmental justice on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013.
At Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, Elder Donnie Dowd (center, with hat) offers encouragement to participants in the KBIC Idle No More Rally/Walk on Jan. 11, 2013.
About 50 or more people joined together for the event, which began at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College with prayers and encouragement, some in the Ojibwa language, offered by KBIC Elder Donnie Dowd. Despite very recent open-heart surgery, Dowd also led the walk down to the Ojibwa Senior Center for ceremonies, dances and songs, followed by a feast of chili and corn bread.
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Idle No More Walk begins at the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. Walkers head through Baraga to the KBIC Senior Citizens' Center to continue their Rally, dance, sing and enjoy a feast. (Videos by Keweenaw Now)
A group of Lac Vieux Desert youth from Watersmeet, Mich., joined the walk, adding their chants of "Idle No More" to the songs of the leaders.
The number of participants increases when youth from the Lac Vieux Desert Chippewa community (Watersmeet, Mich.) join the KBIC Idle No More Walk as it progresses through the streets of Baraga.
The Idle No More indigenous movement is gaining supporters around the world, many of whom held events on Friday, Jan. 11, the day First Nations (Aboriginal) leaders in Canada were scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnston to discuss Bill C-45 -- recent legislation that First Nations leaders in Canada say violates claims to self-governance and control of traditional land bases and also threatens the environment by reducing federal protection for bodies of water and fisheries.
Idle No More walkers in Baraga carry signs to show support for the Canadian First Nations protests against Bill C-45 and to express their own concerns about water issues and treaty rights. (Click on photos for larger versions.)
According to an article in TheProvince.com, "The bill significantly reduces the number of federally protected bodies of water, which critics fear will leave them open to harm from major resource projects, such as Enbridge's proposed $6-billion pipeline from Alberta's tarsands to Kitimat. Changes to the Indian Act will allow aboriginal people to sell or lease their land to non-natives. Critics say that the changes, which were done without consultation, violate aboriginal treaty rights."*
Toward the end of their walk, Idle No More participants gather for a circle dance before continuing to complete their rally and share a feast at the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Senior Center.
Charlotte Loonsfoot, one of the organizers of KBIC's Idle No More, says Bill C-45 can also affect natural resources in the Great Lakes Basin and treaty rights of tribes living in the United States as well as in Canada.
"We share Lake Superior with Canada so what they do there affects us here in the UP, northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota," Loonsfoot said. "And since the bill C-45 has protection for lakes and streams at the 2 digits instead of millions I am very concerned for our freshest water in the world. This will also affect our treaty rights to hunt, gather, and fish because if our food and medicines are contaminated from Canada's pollution it is a violation to the tribal governments of the United States."
After the feast in the KBIC Senior Citizens' Center, organizers of the Idle No More event pose for a photo: from left, Jessica Koski, Nancie Lamb, Margaret Boyer and Charlotte Loonsfoot.
The youth group from Watersmeet joined the KBIC Rally/Walk at an invitation from Marisa Van Zile of the Sokaogon Chippewa of Mole Lake, Wis. (some of whose family members were involved in the struggle against the Crandon Mine in Wisconsin).
Van Zile, now a student at Northern Michigan University, where she is studying sociology and Native American studies, said she had attended several Idle No More events in Minnesota as well as Wisconsin before helping to organize the Jan. 6 event in Watersmeet, Mich.
"I was inspired to bring that home," Van Zile said.
After Watersmeet, she returned to Mole Lake for an event on Jan. 10 and then returned to Michigan for the Jan. 11 Idle No More in Baraga. Van Zile also said she was happy to meet KBIC's Charlotte Loonsfoot at the Watersmeet event last week.
"She's my hero," Van Zile said.
KBIC Idle No More co-organizer Charlotte Loonsfoot carried this wolf flag during the walk. The proposed wolf hunt, recently passed as legislation in Michigan, is another of her concerns. "I walked for the wolf," Loonsfoot said, "because the wolf is our brother and we're brothers and sisters with Canada, so it all ties together."
Jessica Koski, KBIC member, was also an organizer of the Jan. 11 Idle No More event in Baraga. At the gathering of the participants in the Senior Center, she read her statement of solidarity with the Idle No More movement.
Jessica Koski, KBIC member, reads a statement of solidarity with the global Idle No More movement for indigenous rights and protection of land and water.
"Today, we are standing in solidarity with people across the globe for First Nations and indigenous peoples in Canada. The movement calls upon the government of Canada to honor and implement Aboriginal Treaty rights of First Nations. This call echoes throughout the world in many indigenous communities and nation-states, including our own right here at Keweenaw Bay," Koski stated. "This movement began with the hearts and courage of indigenous women. It is about the land, water, healing, and justice.
Corporate profits have been privileged over our lands and waters for too long. Indigenous peoples, deeply rooted in place, continue to carry ancestral knowledge and wisdom of how to walk a good way of life, what we call Mino-Bimaadiziwin, on Aki, Mother Earth. With our youth, Elders and women, we are stepping into our leading role. Many say we are the last chance of saving the planet."**
KBIC's event was also held in support of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, who has been on a hunger strike for more than a month to call attention to this bill and other problems between First Nations peoples and the present Canadian government under Harper. She had requested the meeting with Harper and Johnston, but ended up boycotting it, along with other leaders from Ontario and Manitoba, when Harper said he would meet only a half hour and Johnston refused to attend.***
However, a Jan. 12, 2013, Canadian Press article said the meeting lasted four hours and "National Chief Shawn Atleo declared that Harper has finally agreed to top-level talks to modernize and implement the ancient treaties that were always supposed to bring peace and prosperity to First Nations."****
Spence and other leaders, however, were not satisfied with the results of the talks, and she is apparently continuing her hunger strike (a liquid-only diet) despite requests by some First Nations leaders that she end it.*****
Idle No More founder Sylvia McAdams says the agenda from the Jan. 11 talks between the government and First Nations leaders is too narrow, since it doesn't include removing the C-45 legislation. She says the peaceful grassroots movement, now worldwide, will continue. They are calling on a worldwide Idle No More event, co-ordinated with other groups, on Jan. 28.******
Margaret Boyer, who also helped organize the Jan. 11 KBIC Idle No More event, explained her own connection to the movement in Canada: She is from Batchewana First Nation, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, under the Robinson-Huron treaty of 1850. Boyer moved to this area two years ago to attend Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, but she has family in Canada and concerns about her children and grandchildren.
Co-organizer Margaret Boyer speaks to the group of KBIC Idle No More participants about First Nations issues in Canada and her own concerns for her family there.
"I am Canadian but have lived most of my life here in the States because I love living here," Boyer said. "I first heard about the Idle No More movement from Facebook in November. I followed the movement's actions from the beginning to present."
Boyer said she has no T.V. or radio in her house, so all her outside communication is from Facebook.
"The quick uprising is due to social networking," Boyer added. "There are a lot of things going on with this movement. My main concern is the dismantling of the Indian Act without any regard to First Nations."
Georgenia Earring of KBIC, who also participated in the Idle No More visit to Eagle Rock on Dec. 28, was among many who joined the Walk in support of Theresa Spence.
"I'm here in support of Chief Spence," Earring said, and the power of prayer -- coming together for indigenous people and their treaty rights."
KBIC Tribal Council Member Elizabeth Matthews also mentioned support of Theresa Spence's effort.
"Just like everybody else it affects us down here in the States, and we are in support of Chief Theresa Spence," Matthews noted. "And I hope she accomplishes what she set out to do."
Matthews added the Tribal Council gave a money donation for Friday's feast following the Walk.
KBIC Tribal Council Member Elizabeth Matthews, left, enjoys the feast after the Walk with KBIC Elder Janice Shalifoe, center, and Lisa M. Denomie, KBIC member and program director for the Early Childhood Child Care Center.
Joining in the Walk and the dances that followed was Lisa M. Denomie, KBIC member and program director for the Early Childhood Child Care Center.
"The first thing they need to do is unite," Denomie said of the indigenous groups joining the Idle No More movement. "That's the only way you're going to become stronger. This is a good start to bring back the Anishinaabe way. People are making peace here."
Participants in the Jan. 13, 2013, Idle No More event at the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Senior Center in Baraga, Michigan, do a dance and song to honor people fasting for Indigenous peoples' rights and environmental justice, including Chief Theresa Spence and two KBIC members who fasted for this event: Denise Cadeau, Keweenaw Ojibwa Community College dean of student services, and Nancie Lamb, co-organizer of the event.
Sheila Halverson, wearing a traditional jingle dress, and Sammi Tolenon, Miss KBIC, wearing her shawl dance regalia, do a healing dance as others sing to the beat of the Four Thunders Drum. The dance preceded a feast for all participants in the KBIC Senior Citizens' Center.
Margaret Comfort from Marquette County also attended the Walk.
"I was honored to be amidst some of the leaders, the visionaries, of their community -- Charlotte Loonsfoot, Jessica Koski, and Nancie Lamb," Comfort said. "It made my heart smile to see the mothers with their children and the teens walking in solidarity with Chief Spence. As Margaret Boyer said, this work is for our children and grandchildren. This work is about giving a voice to ALL people."
Corrie Hohli of Calumet also participated in the Rally/Walk, carrying a sign in the Ojibwa language, which she studies. It said, "Gaa Geyaabi Bizaanabi magasinoon!" Hohli said, while it is difficult to translate "Idle No More" into Ojibwa exactly, this phrase means, "No longer will we sit quietly."
KBIC member Jeffery Loman, who had just moved back to Baraga from Alaska and was settling into his new residence near the college, said he heard the drums of the walk as he was pulling out of his driveway and then saw the group walking. He joined them at the Senior Center for the talks, dances, drumming and feast.
"I was delighted and inspired to see the protest and (delighted) that my community is joining other nations in being Idle No More," Loman said.
Loman, who has been following the Eagle Mine issue on Facebook and who spoke at public forums held by Rio Tinto when he was visiting the area in the past, said he has no plans to leave the area now that he has moved back to Baraga.
"I have a lot of things that I want to do here. There's a lot of work to be done to protect the natural resources of the tribe and to protect the reservation environment -- all these people that live here," Loman explained. "There's a lot of litigation on the horizon."
More photos ...
KBIC Elder Donnie Dowd speaks to participants in the Jan. 11 Idle No More Rally at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)
KBIC's Debbie Williams presided over sacred ceremonies and spoke at the Rally.
Carrying colorful signs and their flag, youth from Lac Vieux Desert join the Walk and chant "Idle No More!"
A young participant in the walk carries a sign stating a major purpose of the Idle No More movement: "Protect Our Treaties, Land, Water and Animals."
Arriving at the Senior Citizens Center are some leaders of the Walk: from left, Rodney Loonsfoot, Jessica Koski, Lisa M. Denomie and Donnie Dowd.
BARAGA -- Members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) invite supporters of the Idle No More movement to a rally and march beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at Ojibwa Community College in Baraga. Participants will walk from the college to the Ojibwa Senior Citizens' Center, where they will have Chile and Corn bread and drumming from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Idle No More calls on all people to join in a revolution that honors and fulfills Indigenous sovereignty which protects the land and water. Colonization continues through attacks to Indigenous rights and damage to the land and water. We must repair these violations, live the spirit and intent of the treaty relationship, work towards justice in action, and protect Mother Earth. Bring: hand drums, shakers, signs, and regalia. Images of the event will be shared widely in solidarity with the movement.
Editor's Note:Click here and here to read about the Dec. 28 Idle No More visit to Eagle Rock.
EAGLE ROCK, MICH. -- Participants in the Dec. 28, 2012, visit to Eagle Rock in solidarity with the Idle No More movement and Chief Theresa Spence, who continues her hunger strike to call attention to First Nations issues of treaty rights and environmental justice in Canada, seemed undaunted by the cold as they climbed through deep snow at the Anishinaabe sacred site, now being used as the portal for Rio Tinto's Eagle Mine.
Charlotte Loonsfoot, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) member, organized the activity along with Jessica Koski, KBIC mining technical assistant.* Koski recorded a statement by Loonsfoot atop Eagle Rock.
"My main reason for being here is to come pray for Chief Spence," Loonsfoot said. "I just pray that the leaders of the Canadian government will meet with her. It takes a lot of courage, and women are coming to a spiritual time right now and we're feeling our strengths. I think the women of the earth will get a lot done in the future. I pray for everyone in Canada -- they are our brothers and sisters too all the way down to South America. We are all related!"**
Kathleen M. Heideman, artist and writer, posted this comment about the Eagle Rock event on Facebook: "Inside the gates of Rio Tinto's 'Eagle Project' we hiked to the top of Eagle Rock. To the south, a divine terrain of snow and pines, the Yellow Dog watershed and distant blue hills. The sacred promontory of Eagle Rock is penned in on the North, West and East by the new mine, but we tried to stay focused on what remains. Sacred fire, heartfelt wishes for Chief Spence, and many prayerful thoughts of water, earth, air and life. Songs of deer and eagle; songs of healing....!"
Nancie Lamb of KBIC said she also went to Eagle Rock to show support for Chief Theresa Spence.
"I support what she is doing wholeheartedly because I believe if it doesn't stop now, it's going to happen here on our reservation," Lamb said. "I also went because the Idle NO More people asked that everyone return to their sacred place, and Eagle Rock is one of ours that needs recognition."
Margaret Boyer, from Batchewana Band, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, said she has been following all the news updates about Idle No More since the time it began, and she participated in a 24-hour fast in support of Chief Spence earlier in December.
"Normally I am not an activist of any sorts," Boyer noted, "but while learning about what the Harper government is doing I find myself getting frustrated with what is happening with our lands, with the treaties, and to my people. I am angered by it all -- and with all the activity around the world and in my homeland, I knew that, I, too, had to show my support."
Boyer, who is now a student at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College in Baraga, said Nancie Lamb invited her to join the group for the visit to Eagle Rock.
"My worry is my grandchildren," Boyer said. "How will this affect them? And this is where I get angry and want to fight the cause...What will this leave for them? What will THEIR country be for them when they are growing up?"
Kristi Mills of Big Bay also climbed the Rock along with her young son Tom.
"I was so glad that Tom came with me," Mills said. "He was able to witness a beautiful ceremony rich with prayer, reflection and song. Still tingling from that experience made the announcement about 595 all the sweeter."***
*See Jessica Koski's article on this event: "IDLE NO MORE: Returning To Our Sacred Places - Migizii wa sin." **Click here for an update on Chief Theresa Spence and her hunger strike. *** On Jan. 3, 2013, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced they would not issue a permit for CR 595, a haul road for the Eagle Mine, because of a complexity of issues concerning impacts to wetlands and streams. Click here for the DEQ letter to the Environmental Protection Agency.
BARAGA -- Local supporters of the "Idle No More" movement are invited to join Native American groups from Lac Vieux Desert and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community at 11:30 a.m. TOMORROW, Sunday, Jan. 6, at the Lac Vieux Desert rec center, Watersmeet, and to walk with them to the Lac Vieux Desert Casino at noon for the event.
Click here to find a map and directions to Lac Vieux Desert.
According to their Web site, "Idle No More calls on all people to join in a revolution which honors
and fulfills Indigenous sovereignty which protects the land and water.
Colonization continues through attacks to Indigenous rights and damage
to the land and water. We must repair these violations, live the spirit
and intent of the treaty relationship, work towards justice in action,
and protect Mother Earth."
Both Native and non-Native supporters are welcome to join in the Idle No More activities, which also support Chief Theresa Spence, whose fast/hunger strike has called attention to issues facing First Nations peoples in Canada.** Activities may include a medicine dance, so those who wish to participate should wear appropriate clothing.
If anyone needs a ride from the Baraga area please contact Charlotte Loonsfoot on Facebook or email Jessica Koski at jlkoski@gmail.com.
*See Jessica Koski's article
on the Dec. 28, 2012, visit to Eagle Rock, part of the Idle No More
call to return to sacred places to reclaim and protect them. Watch for
more photos from this event, coming soon.
** Chief Theresa Spence has been fasting since Dec. 11, 2012, and asking that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Governor General meet with her and other First Nations leaders. Yesterday, Jan. 4, 2013, Harper and Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan agreed to meet with a delegation of First Nations leaders on Jan. 11, 2013. Click here to read about Idle No More on Indian Country Today. Click here to read about the Prime Minister's decision. Click here for a video of the Idle No More Round Dance at the Mall of America -- Minnesotans in support of Chief Theresa Spence.
"Idle No More calls on all people to join in a revolution which honors and fulfills Indigenous sovereignty and which protects the land and water. Colonization continues through attacks to Indigenous rights and damage to the land and water. We must repair these violations, live the spirit and intent of the treaty relationship, work towards justice in action, and protect Mother Earth." ~Idle No More**
BARAGA -- In solidarity with indigenous peoples seeking to protect and reclaim their sacred places around the world and the Idle No More movement, we gathered at Migizii wa sin, Eagle Rock, on December 28, 2012. We gathered in support of Chief Theresa Spence and our brothers and sisters in Canada, across Turtle Island, and down to South America.*** We prepared a fire and shared prayers, blessings, songs, and inspiration for our lands, waters, sacred places, Mother Earth, and the future.
Idle No More arose from grassroots and First Nations people across Canada in response to Bill C-45 which aims to gain access to natural resources on First Nation lands by removing environmental protections. Over the past two weeks, Flash Mobs and Round Dances have occurred throughout Canada, the U.S. -- from the Mall of America to Times Square, and even Europe, New Zealand and the Ukraine. Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence approaches week three of a fast/hunger strike protest. She is courageously willing to die for her people as she waits for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a representative of Queen Elizabeth to accept her request to simply meet with her and other indigenous leaders to address the issues facing their communities.***
On December 28, the day of the full moon -- Manidoo-Giizisoons (Little Spirit Moon) -- indigenous peoples were asked to gather at their sacred places in solidarity. Eagle Rock, also known as the Home of the White Wolf and the High Place, has been a sacred place to the Anishinaabe and other peoples for centuries. It is located on 1842 Treaty territory in the presently occupied territory of the State of Michigan in the Upper Peninsula near the town of Big Bay. In 2010, Keweenaw Bay Anishinaabe Ogichidaag were arrested at our sacred site to make way for a sulfide mine, known as the "Eagle Mine."**** One of the world's largest mining companies, Rio Tinto, blasted a mine portal directly into Eagle Rock.
Eagle Rock, surrounded by Rio Tinto's fence, is to the left in this photo. The portal to their sulfide mine has been blasted into the rock.
Despite grassroots efforts and legal challenges, the company has constructed a mile long tunnel to a highly reactive sulfide copper/nickel ore body they plan to begin exploiting by 2014 beneath a river of Lake Superior. The effects would ripple to groundwater discharges to freshwater springs, a potential new 21-mile haul road through our pristine wetland and medicinal plant areas, processing and permanent disposal of 2.5 million tons of sulfide-bearing tailings at a lake at Humboldt in the Escanaba River Watershed of Lake Michigan, about 45,000+ acres of mineral rights claimed or leased by Rio Tinto, and a half dozen more sulfide mine target sites.
Sign placed at Eagle Rock on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, in solidarity with the Idle No More movement.**
The Anishinaabe and their supporters who care for this land and do not wish to see the threshold of the world's fresh water poisoned, have continued to gather and pray at and near Eagle Rock -- amidst its strength and in the face of greed and destruction. We gathered again at Eagle Rock at this important time of solidarity with our brothers and sisters across Canada. We are inspired by the revitalization and strength of indigenous peoples, and we pray for the healing of our people and the protection of our lands and waters across Turtle Island.
Recently Rio Tinto sought to fund a program for tribal students. I issued this statement concerning the program: "My belief is that if Rio Tinto wants to begin respecting indigenous rights and leadership, it should halt its mining activities immediately at our sacred place and begin honest and meaningful consultation with our traditional and political leaders."
On Eagle Rock, participants in the Dec. 28, 2012, event display signs in solidarity with the Idle No More movement. Pictured here are, from left, Nancie Lamb, Kathleen Heideman, Georgenia Earring, and Margaret Boyer.
Editor's Notes:
*Keweenaw Now guest writer Jessica Koski, an Anishinaabe from the Otter Clan, is a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) and is KBIC's Mining Technical Assistant. Most of this article appears on her blog: jessicakoski.blogspot.com. We have added a few of her additional statements.
** Learn more about the Idle No More movement by visiting their Web site.
*** Learn more about Chief Theresa Spence and her hunger strike by watching this You Tube video of a Dec. 18, 2012, interview with her. Click here for a Dec. 31, 2012, article about her invitation to Canadian Parliament members, despite her weakened state.
**** See our May 2010 slide show on Eagle Rock, those who marched in Marquette and those who camped on the Rock to protect it until some were arrested.
"Remembering Gordon Borsvold": Exhibit in Coté Gallery Oct. 8-31
The Copper Country Community Arts Center in Hancock will host "Remembering Gordon Borsvold," through Oct. 31, 2026, in the Coté Gallery, with an opening reception from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. The paintings in this exhibit are representative of the more than one hundred works on paper, cardboard, Masonite, foam board, and ceiling tiles that Gordon Borsvold left in his studio/home when he departed this world in August of 2024. The only people to see Borsvold’s work before this exhibit were those who visited him at home. He never sold and rarely gave away any paintings or sculptures, insisting that the works were never in final form. What he always said was, "Everything here is temporary!" Click on photo above to read more.
Jingle Dress Dance, gathering with Protect the Porkies Oct.4
Please join Protect the Porkies at 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 4, for a Native-led Jingle Dress Dance in the Presque Isle Scenic Area on the east end of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, right next to the beautiful Presque Isle River and its majestic waterfalls, and of course the incomparable Lake Superior. This ceremony is being held to honor the Land, Water, and Lifeforms, whose wellbeing is intrinsically entangled with our own. The Dance will be accompanied by speakers and followed by a Potluck Feast, so feel free to bring a dish to share (along with your own reusable dishware). The event is free but a Recreation Pass is required to enter the Park. This is $12 per vehicle for an out-of-state single day pass or $15 for a Michigan vehicle annual pass. All Tribe members will be reimbursed by Protect the Porkies. Shuttling and carpooling is encouraged! Click on poster above for exact location.
Back 40 Mine Update: Sept. 24
The Coalition to SAVE the Menominee Rover will host a meeting and presentations on both the Back 40 and Copperwood mining projects at 6 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, Sept. 24, in Room MN115 at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), 1601 University Dr., Marinette, Wisconsin 54143. Agenda: 1. Opening Prayer and Welcome 2. GORO/Goldgroup Update 3. Natalie Lashmet: Audio / Visual Presentation 4. Mark Doremus: Update on Copperwood Mine 5. Group Discussion 6. Adjourn Snacks will be provided.
Bob Hiltunen Benefit Concert livestream
If you missed the Bob Hiltunen Benefit Concert in the Calumet Theatre on Sept. 9, 2026, click on the photo above of the World's Most Dangerous Polka Band to watch the livestream video recording on YouTube. See the next article below for ways you can still donate to fundraisers for Bob's medical expenses. (Photo: Musicians pictured, from left, Oren Tikkanen, John Peiffer, Jim Enrietti, Teri Enrietti. Also performing on solo guitar was Steve Jones. Screenshot from video courtesy Calumet Theatre.)
Fundraiser concert for Bob Hiltunen at Calumet Theatre Sept.9
Bob Hiltunen, musician and beloved teacher, is now hospitalized in Ann Arbor, Michigan, fighting stage 4 cancer, facing months of procedures. Bob has always been the first to help others. To help Bob and his family with the multitude of huge expenses he will be facing, a fundraiser concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, at the Calumet Theatre. Music by Jim Enrietti, Accordion; Teri Enrietti, Bass; John Peiffer, Ukelele and Brass;; Oren Tikkanen, Guitar. The performance will feature tangos, Italian, Cajun, Finnish, French, Polish, Korean, Croatian, Greek, light rock, waltzes, a polka or two, and some surprises! Don't miss it! Donation checks can be made out to Bob Hiltunen Fund and sent to: Calumet Theatre Att. Jim Enrietti P.O. Box 167 340 Sixth Street Calumet, MI 49913. Bob's Go Fund Me: Whether or not you can attend the concert, you can also help Bob by contributing to his Go Fund Me goal (separate from the Bob Hiltunen Fund). Please click on photo of Bob above for more info and for a way to contribute to this Go Fund Me.
Pipe Out Paddle Up Water Weekend Schedule: Petoskey
The Pipe Out Paddle Up protest against Line 5 and the Tunnel project will include an entire Labor Day weekend in Petoskey, MI, Friday -Monday -- Sept. 4,5,6 and 7. Click on poster above for a larger version with details on this Water Weekend.
The encampment to protest the proposed Copperwood Mine on the North Country Trail next to the Porcupine Mountains, immediately adjacent to the proposed mine site, continues for the 4th weekend, Sept. 4-6. More than 60 acres of wetlands and multiple streams have already been destroyed for this mine, with active deforesting occurring on a daily basis. The encampment, named Animikiiwadiswan, meaning Thunderbird Nest, was initiated Aug. 14-16 and attended by members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Lac Vieux Desert, Menominee, Diné, Navajo, Sault Ste Marie, and dozens of allies. You can visit the camp this Friday, Saturday or Sunday, (beginning at 3 p.m. Central Time). Non-Tribal people are welcome to join respectfully in solidarity (see below). Bring as much drinking water as you can for yourself, and fresh food and produce for the community are always appreciated. No need for supplies in bulky plastic containers. Click on poster above or go to http:// protectheporkies.com/camp for more information and updates.
Invitation from Charlotte Loonsfoot of KBIC
"Starting on August 14th at 3 p,m. ET, we will set up Animikiiwadiswan (Thunderbird Nest) on Ottawa National Forest land right next to the proposed Copperwood mine site. We will camp just west of the North Country Trail parking lot, 20 minutes north of Wakefield, MI, on County Road 519. We will perform ceremonies and provide literature to visitors to educate the world about this dangerous proposal. Members of all Tribal Nations are invited. Non-Tribal people are welcome to join in solidarity, provided they respect the leadership of organizers." No drugs or alcohol permitted. This is a remote area, so bring food and water. Children are welcome. Charlotte Loonsfoot is vice-president of Protect the Porkies. She is setting up this camp to pray for and protect this sacred area from those who would destroy it. Click on map above or go to https://protecttheporkies.com/camp for larger maps and more details.
Omega House Summer Concert: August 18, 2026
Don't miss the Omega House Summer Concert at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church in Houghton. Enjoy this gathering of local musical artists who will offer jazz, light opera, folk and popular music to benefit Omega House hospice in Houghton. Suggested donation is only $10. Click on poster for larger version.
Ukraine march in Houghton each Wednesday, 5 p.m.
Join Yoopers for Ukraine for the weekly Ukraine march each Wednesday. Meet at 5 p.m. on the Houghton side of the Portage Lift Bridge. These peaceful marches make a huge difference in creating hope and encouragement both in the US and in Ukraine. Flags and signs provided.
Comments needed at online Public Hearing July 8 for Proposed NPDES permit for Copperwood Mine
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will hold a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, July 8, to provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the proposed reissuance of the NPDES surface water permit for Copperwood Mine, located at 1108 County Road 519, Wakefield, Gogebic County, Michigan. (NPDES Permit No. MI0058969). Protect the Porkies asks that you take action to protect Lake Superior and the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park by attending the hearing online and making comments. Go to https://protecttheporkies.com/take-action for reasons to challenge the Wastewater Permit. Click on image above to register for the public hearing.
Notice on scams: Be vigilant
Keweenaw residents have been reporting scams by criminals frightening them with false stories on the phone. Be vigilant and do not believe these unless you trust the source. Scams can also occur via the Internet. Be careful especially if asked to call a number flashing on the screen. Do not call it. Senior citizens are often targeted by scammers asking for money.
Help local Homelessness Prevention with Hancock Salvation Army
Several local groups, including AWAVE (Advocates for those Without A Voice Everywhere) and Keweenaw Indivisible, are encouraging local residents to contribute to Copper Country Housing Assistance through a special Homelessness Prevention Fund through the Hancock Salvation Army. If you can donate any amount, click on the QR code above or click on the poster for the link to the Donation page. Be sure to write Housing Assistance in the Comments so your donation will go to the Homelessness Prevention Fund. Or you can mail a check for any amount made out to The Salvation Army and mail it to The Salvation Army, 408 Ravine Street, Hancock, MI 49930. Be sure to Write Housing Assistance or Homelessness Prevention on the memo line and mail it or drop it off at the Hancock Salvation Army office, above address.
R.I.P. Michael Lahti
Keweenaw Now wishes to express our deepest sympathy to the family of Michael Lahti, lifelong resident of Hancock, MI, and active community member and leader, who passed away on December 29, 2025. Mike served first as a Hancock school board member, a Suomi College/Finlandia University board member, and later as Chair of the Houghton County Board of Commissioners. In 2006, Mike successfully ran for and was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives representing the 110th District, where he served two terms. See our 2008 interview with Mike in which he speaks about issues important for him at that time and why he ran for that re-election to the Michigan House: https://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2008/06/state-rep-mike-lahti-outlines-issues.html To read the Obituary for Mike, click on photo above. (Photo courtesy O'Neill-Dennis Funeral Home)
ICE OUT FOR GOOD Silent Vigil in Houghton Saturday, Jan. 10
Keweenaw Indivisible is holding a Silent Vigil for Renee Nicole Good and other victims of ICE at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 10, on all street corners of downtown Shelden Ave., Houghton. Carry signs reading "ICE off our streets," or "Accountability Now." No chanting. Silence is the message. Dress warmly, bring your sign and a candle if you can, and join Keweenaw Indivisible and other local organizations for a "Hands Off Venezuela Rally" immediately following the vigil.
STOP HUMAN SAFARI, SAVE KHERSON: Rally with Yoopers for Ukraine Dec. 14 at Lift Bridge
Since 2024, Russians and others who pay to play have been using Kherson as a living video game targeting Ukrainians for points and pleasure and using drones to hunt them down and kill them. Even trips to the grocery store become a survival game. Unfortunately, to the dead and the mourning and those who are witnessing this horror, it is not a game. It is daily life in Kherson! These crimes and activities have been documented by brave journalists and ICC. Yoopers for Ukraine is joining the global rally to stand for human rights and dignity and true American values. This will be our march for Peace this week. We will gather at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, for brief comments at the Houghton side of the Lift Bridge at our normal spot. We will then walk the bridge or stay at the banners for those who don’t wish to walk across. We need both! Stay for 5 minutes or the hour. Dress for weather. Please bring flags and posters if you have them. Click on image above for details.
KUUF Forum on Data Centers: Dec. 14 via Zoom
The Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (KUUF) will host a public forum online titled "What Are Data Centers and How Will They Impact Michigan?" from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 14. Kalvin Carter, director of Up North Advocacy, based in Sault Ste. Marie, and Audrey Gerard of Michigan United, a nonprofit organization focused on environmental protection, will talk about boom-and-bust industries like crypto mining, which use up natural resources without replenishing them, and big tech operations that do little to benefit the people who live nearby. Data mining requires a lot of water to cool the operation. That’s why data mining operations have their eye on communities like ours, near the Great Lakes. After the water cools the servers, it drains into the ground, where it moves through the aquifer and back to the lake, potentially warming it. Data mining operations also consume large amounts of electricity, which can raise power prices. And they create noise. One example is a relatively small installation of cryptocurrency servers located across from Lake Superior Academy, a K-5 Montessori school in Dafter Township, Michigan, near Sault Ste. Marie. The servers generate a constant noise that the school describes as sounding "like jack hammers 24/7." The school is suing Odessa Partners, the Florida owner of those servers. Forums are approximately one hour long. The public is invited to participate. Meeting ID: 839 7576 2265; Passcode: KUUF Or visit keweenawuu.org/worship/forums/ for the zoom link.
League of Women Voters of Michigan joins lawsuit to protect voter security
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Last Thursday, Oct. 30, the League of Women Voters of Michigan -- represented by Campaign Legal Center, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, and the Michigan law firm Goodman Acker -- filed a motion to intervene on behalf of voters in US v. Benson, a lawsuit brought by the US Department of Justice against the state of Michigan for failing to comply with the department’s demand for the state’s complete voter file. The Department of Justice hasn’t provided sufficient justification for seeking this data, which includes sensitive information such as driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. Click on logo above for press release. We are proud to stand with voters to protect the security of voter information in our state from potential misuse. Thank you, Linda Belote and Faith Morrison, co-presidents League of Women Voters of the Copper Country
See Citizens Rally for Accountable Government (CRAG) update
Sarah Green has posted important info on national and local government issues in her Oct. 30 CRAG newsletter. She offers important news on Hunger in Michigan, FLOCK cameras (these were to be discussed at Hancock City Council meeting Nov. 5 but that meeting is cancelled), Michigan Statewide Petitions, When and Where to Speak Up and more. Click on photo for link.
KUUF Sept. 14 online Forum: "Protect the Porkies" is now online
If you missed the online forum called "Protect the Porkies," presented by Tom Grotenwohl, founder of Protect the Porkies (www.ProtectThePorkies.com) go to the KUUF Website, https://www.keweenawuu.org/sermons/forum-protect-the-porkies/ or click on photo above.
Good Trouble Lives On -- Rally in Houghton July 17
Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lies with the people. On Thursday, July 17, the anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s passing, join Keweenaw Indivisible from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Veterans Park in Houghton in taking action to support Good Trouble rallies across the country, defend our democracy and carry forward Lewis's legacy of Good Trouble. From voter suppression bills like the SAVE Act to the criminalization of protest, the Trump administration is launching a full-scale attack on our civil and human rights. This is more than a protest; it’s a moral reckoning -- a continuation of the movement Lewis helped lead and a new front in the struggle for freedom. Please note: A core principle behind our Good Trouble Lives On actions is a commitment to nonviolence. All participants are expected to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values. In support of the Good Trouble Rally at Houghton's Veterans Park, Keweenaw Indivisible is staging a MotorMarch from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on July 17. Participants will decorate their private vehicles with signs or slogans drawn on side windows with "windshield markers." The display of as many American flags as possible is encouraged. Vehicles will then circulate repeatedly through downtown Houghton, blending with normal traffic flows and passing the rally site.
June 30 is deadline for comments to US Army Corps of Engineers on proposed Line 5 Tunnel
You can comment on line by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 30. Click on photo for link. See also info on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) at https://www.line5tunneleis.com/draft-eis/Also Check out Oil and Water Don't Mix: https://www.oilandwaterdontmix.org/take_action
"No War With Iran" Livestream is at 8 p.m. ET Monday, June 23
Join the Teach-In Network, RootsAction and Defuse Nuclear War, at 8 p.m. ET TONIGHT, JUNE 23, to learn about what’s going on in Iran, the deeper history of Israel-Iran relations, and what we might expect from the coming days, weeks, and months. In a moment when consent to a destructive and foolish war on Iran is being actively manufactured, it’s essential to come together as a movement, share information, and strategize. Click on poster above to register and see names of featured speakers.
June 14: No Kings Day
On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress created the U.S. Army to stand up against a monarch who claimed absolute power. 250 years later, President Trump wants to twist that legacy into a personal celebration of himself with a parade in Washington, DC, which is expected to cost millions of our tax dollars -- all while Republicans claim there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, or Medicaid. No Kings Day marches and actions are planned in 50 states and in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Germany, Italy, Malawi, Portugal, United Kingdom, Canada and France today, June 14, 2025. To learn more click on logo above to see Sarah Green's CRAG (Citizens Rally for Accountable Government) recent post on No Kings Day. See also information on this at Bridgefest by visiting the tables of Keweenaw Indivisible, the Houghton County Dems and the League of Women Voters.
About the Big Bad Billionaire Bonus, Budget Busting Bill
Citizens Rally for Accountable Government (CRAG) is a newsletter by Sarah Green. Her post on May 26, 2025, offers details on the House Budget. Go to https://www.waterandstone.net/?ref=crag-newsletter to read about the "Big Bad Billionaire Bonus, Budget Busting Bill." This bill now goes to the Senate. You may want to write to Senators about it.
Walks for Ukraine will be at 5 p.m. Wednesdays starting April 9 in Houghton
Yoopers for Ukraine invites you to join the weekly Walk for Ukraine at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning April 9. Meet on Houghton side of the Lift Bridge.
UP residents address Rep. Bergman during Bergman(less) Town Hall in Houghton
If you missed the Town Hall on March 18, a video recording is available on YouTube. Click on photo for link to watch and hear residents' comments addressed to absent 1st District US Rep. Jack Bergman. The audience filled two rooms provided by the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (KUUF). According to organizer Bill Fink, about 150 people attended. (Photo courtesy Barry Fink)
Reception for "Extraordinary Women of the U.P." exhibit at Carnegie Museum March 19
A Public Reception for the new exhibit -- "Extraordinary Women of the U.P.," on loan from the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University -- will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, at the Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw, 105 Huron St., Houghton. Faith Morrison invites you to her talk at the exhibit. See the exhibit and chill with neighbors beginning at 6:30 p.m. and hear her talk at 7:15 p.m. This exhibit features biographies of 70 amazing women from the Upper Peninsula's past. Learn about locals Cora Jeffers (teacher, principal, suffragist), Katherine Heideman (CCISD Superintendent, Hancock council member), Ida Bergh (sheriff), Mary Petermann (chemist, cancer researcher, professor), and Lucena Brockway (early pioneer, diarist) among many others. The exhibit continues through end of March 2025. (Poster courtesy Faith Morrison)
UPDATED: Join UPEC's Kathleen Heideman for TAKING IT PERSONALLY: U.P. Mining Threats, Part II
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) presents "TAKING IT PERSONALLY: U.P. Mining Threats, Part II," a free livestream featuring Kathleen Heideman of UPEC's Mining Action Group. Join Kathleen for the second of a three-part overview of mining threats in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including maps, images, and poetry. In Session II, Kathleen discusses changes at Eagle Mine, and the Revex "battery metals" facility proposed for Marquette County. An environmentalist working in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Kathleen has completed residencies with the National Park Service, watersheds, research stations, foundations, and the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Artists and Writers Program and serves on UPEC's board. She is the author of The Caving Grounds (forthcoming in 2025 from Modern History Press), A Brief Report on the Human Animal, and Psalms of the Early Anthropocene. If you missed this livestream on Zoom Feb. 20, click on photo of Kathleen above for the YouTube video recording. (Photo courtesy UPEC) If you missed Part I of this series, watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb2msaxZAZo
Remember hero Martin Luther King Jr. today, Jan. 20
Thanks to Heather Cox Richardson for reminding us of heroes and of the last speech of hero Martin Luther King Jr. -- just a day before he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Click on photo above for his 'I've been to the mountaintop' speech. (Photo: Martin Luther King Jr. at a 1964 press conference. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
President Biden declares Jan. 9, 2025, National Day of Mourning
Thursday, January 9, 2025, is a National Day of Mourning to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr., as declared by President Joe Biden in his Dec. 29, 2024 Proclamation Announcing the Death of James Earl Carter, Jr. Click on image above for the Proclamation. (Photo: Jimmy Carter official White House portrait by Herbert E. Abrams 1982. Photo courtesy Houghton County Democratic Party)
Jimmy Carter, America’s 39th President, passes away at age 100
The members of the Democratic Party of Houghton County (HCDP) were saddened to learn this Sunday of the passing of 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The world has lost a shining example of a life lived in pursuit of the highest ideals of citizenship.President Carter served heroically in the U.S. Navy as a submariner, helping with the aftermath of the 1952 NRX nuclear reactor incident at Chalk River. He inherited his family's peanut farm in Georgia and managed it to prosperity, bringing this experience to the governorship of Georgia and then to the Presidency.As President, he established the Departments of Energy and Education, bringing national authority to bear on two issues that shape Democratic priorities to this day. He installed solar panels on the White House, taking a leading role in advancing what has become a crucial technology for clean power. He mediated the Camp David Accords, one of the most influential peace initiatives in the Middle East for a generation. ... More:CLICK ON LOGO ABOVE to read the rest of this Dec. 31, 2024, newsletter from HCDP.
The 10th Annual Benefit Concert to fund handicap accessibility for the Ontonagon Theater of Performing Arts on Oct. 5, 2024, was a successful music event in the theater. Local musicians celebrated traditional music "From the Roaring 20s to the Birth of Rock-n-Roll." Click on photo above for a video of a popular old song with audience participation. According to Wendy Peterson, producer and director of the concerts, the funds collected for the project now total more than $90,000. To donate go to ontonagontheater.org and click on ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT. (Photo and video by Keweenaw Now)
City of Hancock new garbage, recycling update
The City of Hancock has a new schedule for garbage and recycling pickups with all pickups beginning at 6 a.m. Garbage/trash pickups for east and west Hancock are still on Monday and Wednesday respectively except for certain holidays including Labor Day (Monday's pickup will be Tuesday, Sept. 3). Trash bags still need stickers attached. Recycling for all will be on Thursdays. No glass. Click on logo above for details.
Pipe Out Paddle UP picnic, Water is Life Festival Aug. 31: Call to Shut Down Line 5
The Pipe Out Paddle Up (POPU) family picnic to Shut Down Line 5 is getting ready to make a splash! Dozens of donated kayaks will be launching from Kiwanis Beach in St. Ignace from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, August 31! If you have your own kayak or floating device please bring it! A water station will be set up and lots of yummy free food. Please bring a refillable water bottle and food bundle (plate, bowl, fork and spoon) with you. You can make a donation today at bit.ly/popu24 and check out the website at https://www.anishinaabekcaucus.org/our-work/popu or click on poster above. Special thanks to Mackinac Straits Watersports and Black to the Land Coalition for the kayak and canoe donations! All donations are tax-deductible! For more info on donations email team@glwpn.org. In 2020, the State of Michigan terminated Enbridge's permit to operate Line 5 through the Great Lakes, 70 tributaries throughout Michigan, AND the SW Detroit Marathon refinery that is harming the community there every day. Enbridge line 5 pipeline must be permanently decommissioned to protect the Great Lakes! The Water is Life Festival in Petoskey follows the POPU family picnic. For details go to https://www.waterislifefestival.org/
Reception for Art by Krissy Sundstrom Aug. 28 at The Well Read Raccoon Books and Curiosities
The Well Read Raccoon Books and Curiosities book shop, 314 Shelden Avenue in Houghton, will host an opening reception for Krissy Sundstrom of Blackberry Art Studio from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, as she takes a break from picking ACTUAL blackberries to discuss her art work and process. Described by students recently as "restful," some of her latest work will be displayed in the Well Read Raccoon through September. Light refreshments wil be available. This is a family friendly event, but please monitor your youngunz. Photo: Art by Krissy Sundstrom. (Photo courtesy The Well Read Raccoon Books and Curiosities)
Tilden Mine Permit Application withdrawn following public and agency concerns
MARQUETTE -- Cleveland Cliffs withdrew its permit application to fill 77.9 acres of wetlands and 4,661 linear feet of streams with mine waste as of June 20, 2024. The withdrawal was recommended by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) due to unresolved concerns about tribal coordination and concerns, as well as cumulative impacts to the Escanaba River watershed. The public comment period for the wetland permit application ended March 9, but saw a significant amount of high-quality public comments due to advocacy by local environmental groups Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior (CSCLS) and the Mining Action Group of the UP Environmental Coalition (MAG-UPEC). Over 500 public comments were submitted, citing concerns about inadequate consideration of impact areas, including insufficient biological surveys to determine presence of protected species....Click on photo of wetlands above for details. (Photo courtesy Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior)
Update: UPEC July 15 Livestream, Community Solar in L'Anse, is on YouTube
What is community solar, and how can it work for communities in Michigan? If you missed UPEC's (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's) Livestream on July 15, when Drs. Richelle Winkler and Chelsea Schelly, joined by Bob LaFave, shared their experiences working to support a community solar project for the Village of L'Anse municipal utility, you can view it on YouTube. Learn how communities can work toward a community solar project and how community solar can benefit residents, including low-income households. Both Dr. Winkler and Dr. Schelly were working in the Department of Social Sciences at Michigan Technological University while engaged with this project, and they share their insights and experiences as well as documents outlining the process and the outcome for L'Anse. Bob LaFave, Village Manager of L’Anse, was key to the project. Dr. Schelly is currently a professor of Sociology at Michigan Tech, and Dr. Winkler is now a Research Social Scientist at the USDA Economic Research Service. Click on photo above for YouTube livestream of this presentation.
Copper Beacon
Copper Beacon continues to cover local news with a whole new look and a board of directors. Click on logo to learn more.
UPEC Livestream on two mining issues TONIGHT, Feb. 15, via Zoom, Facebook
Two major mining operations are seeking to expand and pose devastating threats to our water -- Ishpeming's Tilden Mine and the proposed Copperwood Mine on the coast of Lake Superior on the western edge of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Join a livestream presentation from UPEC and Protect the Porkies at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, Feb. 15 EST, to discuss the content of both mining issues. Ishpeming's Tilden Mine is seeking a permit to expand its footprint and permanently bury almost 80 acres of wetlands, along with hundreds more acres of land, several freshwater ponds, and almost a mile of streams, under waste rock from the mine. Kathleen Heideman of UPEC's Mining Action Group will discuss the environmental impacts of the proposal and how to prepare for the online Public Hearing on February 28th. The proposed Copperwood Mine is located on the coast of Lake Superior on the western edge of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. On January 30, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) almost passed a $50 million grant for the Copperwood project -- an amount that would double Copperwood's current bank balance and could trigger other large investments allowing the mine to proceed with construction. Copperwood would be the closest sulfide mine to Lake Superior in history. Thankfully, a few MSF board members expressed doubts about the grant at the last meeting, delaying the final vote to their Feb. 27 MSF Board Meeting. Tom Grotewohl of Protect the Porkies will outline steps you can take to help defeat this grant. If you missed this Livestream on Feb. 15, the video recording is available on UPEC Facebook Livestreams. Click on photo above to access it.
New book by Carol Rose: From There to Hear, A Journey Out of Silence
Carol Rose, Keweenaw resident, shares the story of her hearing loss and subsequent bilateral cochlear implants in this new book. Click on book cover to read about the book and stores where it is now available.
Petition to recognize Holodomor as Genocide
November is Holodomor Awareness Month and an important petition is collecting signatures to get President Biden’s attention. While both chambers of Congress have officially recognized the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people, never has an active president of the USA done the same. On the 90th Anniversary year this petition urges President Biden to sign a proclamation that justly calls the Holodomor what it was, a genocide. Please take a minute to sign this petition and send to someone you know. #Holodomor90
Ukraine Trust Chain helps Ukrainians affected by war
If you can't attend the Walks for Ukraine, consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Ukraine Trust Chain, an organization that funds volunteer teams in Ukraine who deliver medicine, food, generators and stoves. They winterize homes, run shelters, repair homes and schools and evacuate people out of danger, providing sustained support into the areas of greatest humanitarian need. Click on blue logo above to read their latest newsletter.
CCRI request: Complete and share Hazardous Waste Survey
Copper Country Recycling Initiative (CCRI) requests that we share their new Hazardous Waste Survey. Please click on logo above to complete the survey and share the link to the survey -- https://coppercountryrecyclereuse.com/hazardouswastesurvey -- with other Houghton County residents (email, social media etc.). CCRI would like to get as much data as possible to assist in applying for grants for collection events. This is something you can do for Earth Day in just a few minutes! For more CCRI events visit https://coppercountryrecyclereuse.com/
Copper Beacon: Environmental Safety of Keweenaw Waters Resort questioned by MDHHS
Restoring the Balance -- Wolves and Our Relationship with Nature (Video recording available)
What does a healthy relationship with the natural world look like? Are humans the only persons to inhabit Earth—or do we share the planet with uncounted nonhuman persons? For more than a quarter century biologist John Vucetich, Michigan Tech Distinguished Professor, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, has studied the wolves, and the moose that sustain them, of the boreal forest of Isle Royale National Park. Reading from his new book, Restoring the Balance, he tackles profound unresolved questions that will shape our future understanding of what it means to be good to life on earth. If you missed this event on Monday, Nov. 7, click on above photo for the video recording through Husky Bites, Michigan Tech College of Engineering.
Click on book cover above to order John Vucetich's new book from Amazon.com. It is also available from Johns Hopkins University Press. See: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12540/restoring-balance
Native American Voter Protection Hotline
From Michigan Anishinaabek Caucus: If you have problems at the voting booth or with the ballot, call the Native American Voter Protection Hotline!! This includes TRIBAL ID not being accepted as valid. The county clerks have been trained on this issue. TRIBAL ID IS VALID ID. Click on image for larger version.
FEATURED SPONSORS
Keweenaw Now thanks the following sponsors for their continued support.
Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition
Click on UPEC's new logo above to access their latest livestream presentations and discussions.
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's mission is protecting and maintaining the unique environmental qualities of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan by educating the public and acting as a watchdog to industry and government.
Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party
Click on logo above for the Facebook page. See also the Anishinaabek Caucus Web site at https://www.anishinaabekcaucus.org or email AnishinaabekCaucus@gmail.com for more info.
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve
Click above for the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve Web site and click on their blog for their latest news.
MORE NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
See below for news briefs you may have missed and links to groups, organizations and books we recommend!
Copyright Policy
For our copyright policy, please click here or email us at keweenawnews@gmail.com if you wish to use any of the photos or video clips by Keweenaw Now. Photos by guest photographers are copyrighted and you must seek their permission for re-use. This policy applies to the photos in our slide shows as well. Please do not share photos taken by guest photographers without their permission.
Rozsa Center (UPDATED): New guidelines for public events
The Rozsa Center is adjusting guidelines for public events held in the James and Margaret Black Performance Hall, McArdle Theatre or Rozsa Galleries. Click on photo above for the updated policy.
UPDATE: Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra UNQUIET EARTH concert now on video livestream
If you missed the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra Oct. 15 performance with the Michigan premiere of UNQUIET EARTH by MIT composer, Elena Ruehr, a U.P. native, in the Rozsa Center, click on image above and on View Stream for a video recording of the entire concert on YouTube.This atmospheric work explores "the elements -- Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether --with a sense of both hope and concern for the planet." Also featured is William Herschel’s Symphony No. 20, an 18th century gem re-discovered and edited by Michigan Tech Physics professor, Bryan Suits. The program is bookended by the Blue Danube Waltzes and Romanian Rhapsody No. 1.
Garbage stickers to replace Hancock City garbage bags
The City of Hancock’s bag vendor has been unable to produce garbage bags on a consistent and reliable basis; therefore, Hancock has made the switch to garbage stickers instead of bags. Residents may use garbage bags of choice, with the requirement that the bags are a minimum of 1.2 mil thick and no greater than 35 gallons (bags must not exceed 30 pounds in weight). Stickers will be sold in sheets of 5 for $5 each sheet. Stickers will be available for purchase at City Hall, Holiday Gas Station, Krist Oil, Keweenaw Co-op, Pat’s IGA, Risto’s Hardware. As the current inventory of bags is depleted at the different locations, they will be replaced with stickers. City of Hancock trash stickers will need to be purchased and placed around the top of the bag where the bag ties. Please contact Hancock City Hall (906)482-2720 with any questions in regards to this change.
Oil and Water Don't Mix: Submit comments to US Army Corps on EIS for Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project
Oil and Water Don't Mix offers the opportunity to submit comments to the US Army Corps of Engineers as they prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel project. Click on photo above to sign (and edit if you wish) a letter that includes several good reasons against the tunnel, which could be a disaster for the Great Lakes. (Photo of Mackinac Bridge courtesy US Army Corps of Engineers)
Red Flags: Enbridge's proposed Great Lakes Tunnel Project under Mackinac Straits
If you want to learn more about Enbridge's Great Lakes Tunnel Project from scientific experts who have extensively reviewed Enbridge Energy’s proposed Great Lakes Tunnel Project for the Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, click on the image above. (Image courtesy Oil and Water Don't Mix)
UPEC livestream rebroadcast: Latest on Line 5 available on Facebook
UPEC (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition), following a rebroadcast of a July 28th livestream hosted by FLOW and Oil and Water Don’t Mix, in partnership with the Bay Mills Indian Community, has posted the event on the UPEC Facebook page. Four first-class speakers -- FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood, who hosted the session, and presenters Whitney Gravelle, President, Bay Mills Indian Community; Zach Welcker, FLOW Legal Director; and Sean McBrearty, Campaign Coordinator, Oil and Water Don’t Mix -- delivered the latest on Line 5 in this livestream. Presenters answered questions from the audience and discussed recent developments in the widespread effort to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac and stop the proposed oil tunnel. The online session was supported in part by a grant award from the Mackinac Island Community Foundation’s Natural Resources and Preservation Fund. If you missed the July 28 Livestream or the Aug. 4 rebroadcast, click on poster above to view it on UPEC's Facebook page.
Michigan’s wolf management plan: What do tribes think?
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) will present a livestream discussion with guests Nichole Biber, LTBB (Waganakising) Odawa Tribal Citizen; and Erin Johnston, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, at 8 p.m. (ET) / 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday, July 21, on Zoom and Facebook Live. They will discuss tribal views of the DNR's proposed updated wolf management plan. Click on photo for details.
COVID case rates in 5 counties stable with low transmission as of June 28
Case rates in the past week stayed relatively stable, with all five counties served by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department in a low level of community transmission. One person died in Baraga County with COVID-19, bringing the total deaths from the virus in the region to 275. Houghton County had 39 cases in 7 days, Keweenaw County only 3. Click on image above for details.
On June 18 CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that all children 6 months through 5 years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This expands eligibility for vaccination to nearly 20 million additional children and means that all Americans ages 6 months and older are now eligible for vaccination. Read more at cdc.gov.
95 COVID cases, one death in 5-county area last week
Four of the five counties in the Western U.P. are in the medium or high community transmission level. In total 95 people in the region tested positive in the seven-day period and one person in Houghton County died. Houghton County had 46 cases in the 7-day period and moved from low to medium transmission level. Houghton and Baraga counties still have the lowest vaccination rates of the 5 counties. Click on image above for details.
Benefit for Ukraine: May 26 Evening of Art and Cinema
Yoopers for Ukraine hosted An Evening of Art and Cinema Thursday, May 26, at the Rozsa. If you missed the event, click on photo for a video from Nadia Packauskas.
UPEC Livestream Wednesday, May 25: "Mobilizing Grassroots to protect Menominee River"
A scenic view of the Menominee River, near the proposed Back 40 mine site. (Keweenaw Now file photo)
[UPDATE: If you missed this event, the video recording is available at https://www.facebook.com/upenvironment/videos/400593088651697] The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition’s Livestream Series will present “Mobilizing the Grassroots to Protect the Menominee River, at 8 p.m. (ET) 7 p.m. (CT) Wednesday, May 25, on Facebook Live and Zoom. Guest speakers are Dr. Al Gedicks, environmental sociologist and Indigenous rights activist; Anahkwet (Guy Reiter), executive Director of Menīkānaehkem, Inc.; and Dale Burie, Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River. These three activists have been fighting to save the Menominee River from the proposed Back 40 sulfide mine for gold, zinc and other metals. Learn about their struggles and get an update on the present state of their grassroot efforts to protect this beautiful river and nearby Menominee cultural resources. Facebook: https://facebook.com/upenvironment/live Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86075269466?pwd=OFZCTk1ERHdJSEJOUlNWbW5UaTA3QT09 Meeting ID: 860 7526 9466 Passcode: 2022 Click on photo above for details.
Memorial for Bill Sewell to be May 21 in Rozsa Lobby
A memorial of William (Bill) Sewell’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022, in the Rozsa Lobby at Michigan Tech. Guests are encouraged but not required to wear masks. Some masks will be available near the entrances. Attendees may sign the guest book at the south entrance (near the masks) and socialize awhile while finding a seat. A piano prelude performed by Dave Bezotte will indicate that the program is about to start. Some of Bill's friends and Michigan Tech colleagues will speak. Following the program, light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Anyone who knew Bill and wishes to spend time with his friends is welcome to attend. Eleven members of his family members plan to be present as well. Those who wish to memorialize Bill may contact a favorite charity or the Omega House, which he helped establish. Click on the photo above to access his obituary, provided by Memorial Chapel. Photo: Bill Sewell at the tip of South Africa during the 2014 tour with Michigan Tech's choir. (Photo courtesy Ruth Robertson)
UPDATE FROM STATE OF MICHIGAN
Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announces that all Michiganders ages 50 and up and moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals over age 12 may choose to receive a second booster vaccine. Read more at Michigan.gov.
MDHHS shares FDA’s updated guidelines for J and J COVID-19 vaccine
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is updating vaccine providers across the state about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limiting the authorized use on the administration of the Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine. Read more at Michigan.gov.
Updates from CDC and State of Michigan
CDC Recommendation for Masks and Travel:
At this time, CDC recommends that everyone aged 2 and older -- including passengers and workers -- properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, etc.) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, etc.). When people properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator, they protect themselves and those around them, and help keep travel and public transportation safer for everyone. Read more at cdc.gov. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reminds Michigan residents to test, get vaccinated and boosted as COVID-19 cases are expected to rise through May. MDHHS is reminding Michiganders to participate in best practices to reduce risks of COVID-19 and prevent spread at spring gatherings including proms, graduations and other holidays and to make sure they are up-to-date on vaccines. Read more at michigan.gov.
UPDATE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Data continue to show the importance of vaccination and booster doses to protect individuals both from infection and severe outcomes of COVID-19. For adults and adolescents eligible for a first booster dose, these shots are safe and provide substantial benefit. Read more at cdc.gov. COVID-19 vaccination continues to help protect adults against severe illness with COVID-19, including hospitalizations and death, according to two reports released. Read more at cdc.gov.
Open Discussion on Ukraine today, March 8, at Portage Library
If you missed this discussion see the video recording by Evan Zimmermann of UPEC. (Click on image for link)
UPEC Livestream Feb. 24: Sarah Green speaks on MTU delegation to COP26 in Glasgow
Professor Sarah Green, second from left, is pictured here with some members of Michigan Tech's COP26 Delegation: from left, Alexis Pascaris, Jessica Daignault, Shardul Tiwari and Kathleen Brosemer. (Photo courtesy Alexis Pascaris) UPDATE: If you missed this livestream, click on above photo to access the video recording, and other UPEC recordings, on Facebook. A delegation from Michigan Tech participated in the COP26 International Climate Negotiation meeting in Glasgow in November 2021. The group was part of the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education (YEAH), which supported students to present several events at the Climate Summit and to observe formal and informal presentations by the U.S. delegation, meet people from around the world, and observe the negotiation process. Sarah Green, Michigan Tech professor of chemistry, who led MTU's delegation, presents "The Glasgow Climate Summit as experienced by MTU students" at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT via livestream on Facebook and Zoom as guest of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC). Sarah Green is interested in all aspects of environmental chemistry from molecular analytical methods to global climate change, including the science policy interface. Dr. Green served as co-vice chair for the Scientific Advisory Panel on the Sixth Global Environmental Outlook, United Nations Environment Program. She was awarded a Jefferson Science Fellowship to serve in the Bureau of East Asia-Pacific Affairs in the U.S. Department of State (2013-14).
WUPHD advice on home testing for COVID
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) recommends residents take the following steps when testing positive on an at-home COVID-19 test: - Isolate for 5 days from the start of your symptoms or if no symptoms, the day you took the test. - Notify all your close contacts that they have been exposed and should quarantine as recommended. - End isolation only after symptoms are improved, you have had no fever for 24 hours, and continue to mask for an additional 5 days. "Home tests are a great tool for early detection and prevention of further spread; however, their results cannot be verified, meaning that positives are only considered to be suspect cases and are not included in total case counts," said Kate Beer, WUPHD Health Officer. "Home tests cannot be used to document cases for return to work letters; a follow up lab test is recommended if you need such
documentation. Due to resource shortages, the WUPHD is not currently asking residents to report
positive home tests to the agency. All residents should take precautions by staying home if you are not feeling well, masking in public or crowded spaces, following quarantine guidelines, and getting vaccinated or your booster dose. Vaccinations continue to be our best defense to reduce the severity of symptoms, prevent hospitalizations and death."
MDHHS updates COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools
On Jan. 10, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its K-12 school quarantine and isolation guidance to reflect recent updates made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The guidance modifies or shortens the quarantine and isolation periods to as short as five days in some circumstances. Click on image above for details.
5 Things you need to know about Line 5
Gov. Whitmer has ordered Enbridge to shut down Line 5 by May 12. Why? Click above for a short video and details from Oil and Water Don't Mix.
Houghton County Democratic Party
City of Hancock
Visit the City of Hancock Web site by clicking on above logo to see their news, announcements and more ...
Parade of Nations 2021 Photo Gallery from Late Edition
Click on image above to learn about Copper Country Audubon and their many birding projects, as well as local webcams for viewing birds in action.
Gratiot Lake Conservancy
Governor Whitmer accelerates "MI Vacc to Normal" plan
Photo courtesy michigan.gov.
On May 20 Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an updated "Vacc to Normal" plan, which outlines steps Michiganders can take to emerge from this pandemic. As of June 1, capacity limits will lift for outdoor events. Additionally, indoor capacity limits will increase to 50 percent, allowing indoor social gatherings such as weddings and funerals to move closer to normalcy. As of July 1, the state will no longer limit capacity at indoor or outdoor gatherings. "As Michiganders have stepped up to get vaccinated and the CDC has released new guidance on masks, we are adapting the MI Vacc to Normal challenge to keep up," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Click here for details.
Health Department returns to 10-Day Quarantine for Covid-19
Effective May 7, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) is recommending a return to a 10-day active monitoring or quarantine period for close contacts. The decision to reduce the quarantine period is in line with state and federal guidelines and will offer consistency across the Upper Peninsula. Close contacts can return to normal activities after the 10-day period, however, they should continue to monitor symptoms up to 14 days from their last contact with an infected person. The new recommendation will apply retroactively to people currently in quarantine. People who are two weeks past their completed Covid-19 vaccination series do not need to quarantine. For additional information please visit wuphd.org.
Gov. Whitmer introduces "MI Vacc to Normal" challenge
Image courtesy Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
On April 29, 2021, Governor Gretchen Whitmer unveiled the "MI Vacc to Normal" plan as the state continues to push toward its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders ages 16 years or older. To facilitate this goal, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will base future epidemic order actions on four vaccination-based milestones that, once achieved, will enable Michigan to take a step toward normalcy. Click here to read more from the Small Business Association of Michigan.
League of Women Voters, Portage Library to co-host Town Hall on "Re-Districting in Michigan" Apr. 20
The League of Women Voters and Portage Lake District Library will co-host a Town Hall presentation on "Re-Districting in Michigan" from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Apr. 20, via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting HERE. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you missed the Apr. 17 League of Women Voters of the Copper Country 61st Recorded Annual Meeting held at 1 p.m. on April 17, 2021, with speaker Pat Gotschalk on "The Legal Process: Thoughts on the Transition from Ruth Bader Ginsberg to Amy Coney Barrett," the recording of the meeting is available HERE.
VACCINE UPDATE: Pause in Johnson and Johnson vaccine administration locally
Because of the pause in the use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, called for by federal health agencies, the Western UP Health Department (WUPHD) reports some changes in scheduling vaccine clinics that were announced in this column. The community vaccination clinic scheduled for Thursday, Apr. 15, at Michigan Tech's Student Development Complex (SDC) will still take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but the Moderna vaccine will be given, by appointment, instead of Johnson and Johnson. To make an appointment, sign up for the WUPHD COVID Vaccine Waitlist here.
We have removed other announcements about Johnson and Johnson vaccine clinics until further notice. Anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to receive a vaccine in Michigan. Click here for more details.
Vaccine availability
Copper Country Strong has updates on vaccine availability at Walgreens in Houghton and Ironwood and Snyders in Calumet. See the full list of places you can get a vaccine by visiting coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine
UPEC Apr. 9 livestream discussion on propane and electricity still on Facebook
UPDATE: The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) hosted a discussion, "Propane and Electricity: Keeping the Heat on and Powering Up Our Grid," with Jenn Hill -- a board member of the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, a Marquette City Council member, and a member of the UP Energy Task Force -- on April 9. You can still access this livestream event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/upenvironment/videos/3803910703027349
Propane in the UP has become another battleground in the fight to close Line 5. Enbridge, the owner of the pipeline, has been waging a propaganda campaign with its allies that is meant to create fear, alarm, and confusion about what would happen to propane supplies if the line is shut down. Hill explains how the recommendations crafted by the task force on alternative sources for propane became a political football. She also discusses work done by the task force this past year on our electrical generation capacity. Will solar and wind projects become the norm? What’s in store for consumers with our widely varying utility bills? Is electrification of transportation feasible in the UP? And more ...
COVID-19 Variant B.1.1.7 identified in Houghton County
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) notified the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) that the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories identified the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 in five Houghton County cases.
The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant, thought to have emerged in the United Kingdom, has since been detected in many countries and states. Compared to the original virus, the B.1.1.7 variant is approximately 50 percent more transmissible, leading to faster spread and potentially increasing the numbers of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
"When a variant is identified or suspected, additional measures take place, such as a strict 14-day quarantine," said Kate Beer, WUPHD health officer. "A new variant in our community is concerning since it can be related to higher transmission rates. Residents across the jurisdiction are reminded to continue practicing mitigation strategies including mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing and getting a vaccine as soon as it is available to you. These actions help slow the spread of the virus."
With the high transmission rate of the B.1.1.7 variant, vaccination is more important than ever. Vaccination is currently open to anyone 16 and older. Vaccinations can be scheduled with local providers by calling 2-1-1 or by visiting www.coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine. For more info visit www.wupdhd.org or www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.
COVID-19 Vaccines and fetal cells
At michigan.gov/covidvaccine you can find a ton of data related to the vaccines that are available to Michigan residents. One datasheet available on the website includes information on COVID-19 Vaccines and Fetal Cells. The page includes facts about fetal cell usage in the vaccine development and deployment. In addition there are links to how various faith organizations have addressed this. Click here to view COVID-19 Vaccine and Fetal Cells Data Sheet.
Beginning Monday, March 22, Michigan is expanding access to safe, effective COVID-19 Vaccine to include all Michiganders 50 and older and to include Michiganders ages 16 and older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome. Beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a vaccine. Learn how to put yourself on your local waiting list at coppercountrystrong.com/vaccineor by calling 2-1-1.
Will getting a COVID-19 vaccine protect against new variants?
All three variants of concern are thought to have a higher rate of transmission than the SARS-CoV2 that has been circulating across the U.S. for months. This is concerning because more cases of COVID-19 would increase the number of people who need clinical care. Vaccination remains an important tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19, in addition to other protective actions like mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing. Studies about the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants are ongoing. Read more ...
Community Art Show: "The Art of Valuing Water"
Grinnell. Acrylics on canvas, by Emily Gemignani.
World Water Day 2021 is about what water means to people and other creatures, and how we can better protect this vital resource. The Michigan Tech World Water Day Art Show is an opportunity for local artists and community members of all ages to share what water means to them through creativity and creation! Click here to view the Gallery.
UP Health System-Portage vaccine update
At this time the UP Health System-Portage, invites those interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to call their vaccine voicemail line at (906) 483-1775 and leave a message with name and call back number. For info on other vaccine providers click here and scroll down to HOW DO YOU GET THE VACCINE?
Vaccination scheduling help available
If you are a Michigan resident within the current prioritization category and you do not have access to the internet or need further assistance finding information on vaccination or scheduling an appointment, if available, contact the COVID-19 Hotline (888-535-6136) to speak to a 2-1-1 specialist. People in Michigan can dial 2-1-1 from any phone for help in getting information about the COVID-19 vaccine, and, if in an eligible group, can be placed on a local waiting list to receive a vaccine. Click above on Copper Country Strong for more details.
New book by Michigan Tech's Joshua Pearce
Joshua Pearce -- Michigan Tech Richard Witte Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Director of Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology (MOST) Lab -- has published this new book, available in printed and digital versions.
Designed for beginners, Professor Joshua Pearce's Create, Share, and Save Money Using Open-Source Projects is filled with ways to save money by making use of free and open-source technologies on a wide range of products. The book covers the potential of DIY manufacturing and recycling projects and even how to score deeply discounted big-ticket items, including housing and electricity. All of these tricks should help people in the Keweenaw since he has tested many of them here. The book is for sale at Amazon and other book sellers in hard copy and digital copy. Click above on the book cover to see a list of places to purchase it along with many free resources from the book.
WUPHD: First and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine must be same brand
The Western UP Health Department (WUPHD) reminds people that your second dose of COVID-19 vaccine must be the same brand as your first dose. Second doses of the Pfizer vaccine are given 21 days after the first dose and Moderna is given 28 days after the first dose. Current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control recommends that the second dose not be delayed more than 6 weeks (42 days) from the first dose for either vaccine.
WUPHD was allocated the Moderna brand and does not expect to receive a Pfizer allocation from the State of Michigan. If your first dose was the Pfizer brand, the WUPHD is unable to provide your second dose. You will need to wait until your first dose provider has enough Pfizer vaccine on hand to schedule a second dose clinic. The State is working on allocating additional Pfizer vaccine to our area within the next few weeks.
WUPHD extends appreciation for continued patience from the community as local healthcare partners work through this process with the extreme limited availability of vaccine.
Click here for more info on COVID-19 vaccine and scheduling an appointment with WUPHD.
Updated MDHHS Order allows contact sports to resume with risk reduction measures Feb. 8
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)hasupdated its current epidemic order to allow contact sports to resume as of Monday, Feb. 8, provided masks are worn during practices and competition. If masks cannot be worn, participants must be regularly tested for COVID-19 consistent with guidelines issued by MDHHS. Safety protocols like wearing masks and testing will help keep kids, coaches and families safe and allow our schools to remain open for in-person instruction. The order remains in effect through Monday, March 29. Read more...
Assistance available for businesses seeking new state and federal loans and grants
Western U.P. organizations and local governments are offering assistance for businesses to apply for new state and local grant and loan funding programs. The federal relief act signed into law in December 2020 will provide another round of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA), which are offered under similar terms as those in the original CARES Act.
In Michigan, the Small Business Survival Grant Program will support businesses and industries that have been affected by the "gatherings and face mask order" and currently need working capital to support operations after experiencing a decline in revenue.
Zero Visitor Protocol implemented for inpatients a UP Health System - Portage
For the safety of patients, employees, and medical staff, UP Health System - Portage is implementing certain visitor restrictions. Effective Tuesday, January 19, 2021, visitors will not be permitted into their inpatient unit. The previous limited visitation hours for inpatients of 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. will be suspended until further notice. Learn more about this at portagehealth.org/covid-19-information.
Health Department asks for patience with vaccine scheduling; supply is limited
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) asks the public to be patient with the process of vaccinating all who wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Due to the lack of a sufficient supply of vaccine, clinics are by appointment only. Appointments for this week have been filled. WUPHD will add more appointments as additional vaccine becomes available. Residents are asked to periodically check the WUPHD website for available clinics. Those who have booked appointments are asked to make every effort to keep the appointment and to cancel the appointment via the scheduling email if they cannot make it. Missed appointments could result in spoiled vaccine. Click here for more info.
UPDATE: MDHHS confirms new MI COVID Alert text message outreach
Monday, Dec. 21, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) confirmed the launch of a statewide text outreach aimed at increasing residents’ awareness of the state’s new exposure notification mobile app, MI COVID Alert. Click here to learn about this free app for your mobile phone. It will help us to notify each other and slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan. Click here to read more from MDHHS.
Keweenaw Now begins the New Year by joining the 295 community members who signed this letter to our Western UP Health Department, health workers and frontline workers:
Thank you to the staff of the Western UP Health department for working tirelessly to keep our community safe and informed. Thank you to our local healthcare workers who daily put their lives on the line to protect others. Thank you to the cashiers, servers, and frontline workers who go the extra mile day in and day out to keep everyone safe. Thank you to teachers for working so hard for our children. Thank you to all members of our community who are making sacrifices in their personal lives, in their jobs, and in their businesses to help stop the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate the care that you show for your fellow Yoopers, and we appreciate your sisu.*
*Editor's Note: This letter is reprinted with permission. We regret that we lack the space to list all the names of those who signed.
Great Lakes MMIW Billboard Campaign seeks support
This campaign is now in the Great Lakes region to create awareness of violence against Indigenous Native women and girls. Click on photo for details. (Screenshot photo courtesy Great Lakes MMIW Billboard Campaign)
The Native Justice Coalition (NJC) officially launched their Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) Program in August 2019. The movement has been growing across Canada for several years and now the Global Indigenous Council has started this billboard campaign, which has been supported by Native American Congresswomen including Deb Haaland (D-NM) and Sharice Davids (D-KS). The campaign is now active in the Great Lakes region. The goal is to locate these billboards in rural and remote Native communities to create awareness of the ongoing violence and continued genocide that affects Native women, girls, and Two-Spirits across the US and Canada. Support is needed to pay for the billboards. Click here to learn more and to contribute if you can.
WUPHD announces preliminary plans for COVID Vaccine Roll Out
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) announces that initial allotments of COVID-19 vaccine are beginning to arrive across the state, with vaccinations expected to begin next week throughout the Upper Peninsula. The vaccination process is anticipated to be a large undertaking with multiple community partners involved including local hospitals, physicians, and federally qualified health centers. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 will the first vaccine to arrive this week, followed shortly by Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine is currently approved for individuals over 16 years of age and initial allotments will be designated for those in the highest priority group as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to include Healthcare personnel, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Skilled nursing facility staff and residents. Read more...
UPDATE: Virtual tour of Sisu exhibit with artist Karen Stewart now available on YouTube
Sisu, by Karen Stewart, is at the Finlandia University Gallery until Jan. 5, 2021. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)
If you missed the Nov. 19 Zoom reception and artist talk by Karen Stewart, on her exhibit, Sisu, featured as the 30th Annual Contemporary Finnish American Artist Series Exhibition at the Finlandia University Gallery, you can now view on YouTube a video tour of the exhibit with Stewart explaining some of her paintings. The exhibit continues until January 5, 2021. Appointments for a private viewing of the exhibit can be made with Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler at (906) 487-7500 or by email at gallery@finlandia.edu.
Karen Stewart’s realistic portraiture seeks to embody her subject’s sisu, a Finnish concept described as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness in the face of adversity. Combining art historical references with the personal stories of her subjects, Stewart’s portraits of women chronicle the struggles as well as the joys inherent in life. Read more HERE. Take the virtual tour HERE.
Liquor licenses, permits suspended for businesses for violations of MDHHS Emergency Order
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) has issued emergency suspensions of the liquor licenses and permits held by three Michigan businesses in Lakeview, Houghton and St. Joseph. Licensees’ multiple violations of the current Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Emergency Order include: allowing non-residential, in-person gatherings; providing in-person dining; failure to require face coverings for staff and patrons; and failure to prohibit patrons from congregating. The Houghton business is KMPD, Inc. d/b/a Rock House/Mine Shaft located at 915 Razorback, Houghton. The Commission issued an emergency suspension order of the Class C and SDM liquor licenses with a Specific Purpose Permits (Food and Bowling), Outdoor Service Area Permit, Sunday Sales (P.M.) Permit, Extended Hours Permit, Additional Bar and Dance-Entertainment Permits, on November 25, 2020. Allowing this activity to continue could create additional outbreaks of COVID-19. Click here for details.
If you have any questions about what went into effect Nov. 18, read these frequently asked questions for the Nov. 18 Face Masks and Gatherings Order.
Undaunted by Sunday's very cold winds in Houghton, a group of concerned voters gathered at the Houghton County Courthouse for the "Every Vote Counts" Vigil. Michigan Tech student Zachary Olson spoke about the need to "stay calm and stay committed" during the upcoming election and to oppose interference in voting or voting results. Barry Fink, president of the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country, offered a brief historical background on voting rights and voter suppression, noting that voting rights are still under attack today in the U.S. The Rev. Bucky Beach, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, spoke of the need for a welcoming environment for voting -- free from intimidation. He led the group in singing a line from a song inspired by Wendell Berry: "What we need is here." Click on photo above for a video of the event.
Michigan Healthcare Systems issue Joint Statement on COVID-19 Policies
The following statement, posted Oct. 22, 2020, is made on behalf of Chief Medical Officers and Chief Clinical Officers of Michigan Healthcare Systems and Hospitals:
"As the physician leaders of hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the state of Michigan, representing 110 of Michigan’s 137 hospitals, we have an important safety message regarding COVID-19:
"We want to make it clear that regardless of state law, executive orders, or local public health directives, hospitals and healthcare systems across the state are standing as a united front in our policies and interventions in order to fight the spread of COVID-19. It is imperative that every Michigan resident join us in taking the necessary steps to prevent the spread of this deadly disease.
"Our hospitals and healthcare facilities will continue requiring staff, patients, and visitors to follow public safety protocols, including mask-wearing, screenings upon entry to our facilities, and limitation of visitors. We ask that everyone do the public version of these precautions: wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet apart, avoid crowds, and wash your hands frequently. We do this to keep our patients, visitors and healthcare workers safe...." Click here to read the full statement.
Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services rules
Due to the recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling, the issuing of new orders from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and the quickly changing information, there have been many questions about what the current rules are, who is enforcing them, and what everyone should be doing. Shortly after the Michigan Supreme Court ruling against the Governor's Executive Orders, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued rules under a separate law. These rules are currently valid and replaced (almost) all of the previous Executive Orders issued by the Governor, including masking requirements (the new rules are actually MORE stringent than the Governor’s Executive Orders were). More details on the orders are available here: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98158-541979--,00.html. Also, click above on Copper Country Strong for additional updates, including recently released new rules and guidance from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
Following the recent significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Houghton County, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners, on Sept. 29, issued a Resolution for the Promotion of COVID-19 Safety Measures. Here is an excerpt:
"...WHEREAS, the simple, cheap, and effective methods to slow the spread of COVID-19 are readily known and available, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, and limiting gathering sizes indoors and outdoors; WHEREAS, some members of the Community have practiced good prevention methods, while a small minority of people continue to refuse, despite the risk to themselves and others; WHEREAS, efforts to trace the contacts of people who have tested POSITIVE for COVID-19 are being hampered by some Residents’ refusals to disclose who they may have spread the virus to, causing FURTHER SPREAD of the virus; WHEREAS, the impact to the local economy due to COVID-19 so far will PALE IN COMPARISON to a second wave of shutdowns by the State of Michigan, should the caseload in Houghton County not be brought under control by its OWN RESIDENTS ...." Click here for the complete Resolution.
Michigan Tech COVID tracking forms required for employees, visitors
A reminder that no one is permitted to come to the Michigan Tech campus with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. All employees are required to monitor their symptoms daily before coming to campus. The Daily Symptom Tracking Form is a short form that will help you determine if you have COVID-19 symptoms. In addition, all visitors must fill out the Visitor Symptom Tracking Form each day before coming on campus.
UPDATE from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
On Monday, Oct. 5, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon issued an Emergency Order under MCL 333.2253restricting gathering sizes, requiring face coverings in public spaces and placing limitations on bars and other venues. The order follows the Michigan Supreme Court decision on Friday, Oct 2, that invalidated COVID-19 related executive orders. Today’s order relies on authorities that were first enacted after the Spanish Flu of 1918, and that were not at issue in the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision.
Under MCL 333.2253, if the MDHHS director determines that control of an epidemic is necessary to protect the public health, the director by emergency order may prohibit the gathering of people for any purpose and may establish procedures to be followed during the epidemic to insure continuation of essential public health services and enforcement of health laws. Gordon shares more about the reasoning behind the order in a recent column.
Violations of this order are punishable by a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six months or a fine of not more than $200, or both. Violations of this order are also punishable by a civil fine of up to $1,000. This order is effective immediately and remains in effect through Friday, Oct. 30. Individuals with suggestions and concerns are invited to submit comments via email to COVID19@michigan.gov. Details can be seen by clicking on Copper Country Strong above.
Houghton County is at a critical time. Please follow the guidelines for masking, social distancing, and personal hygiene. The recent cases in Houghton County are spreading rapidly throughout the community. These are not exaggerated numbers. The only path through this pandemic is for everyone to take personal responsibility for slowing the spread of the virus. Each individual -- young, old, student, employee, everyone -- must contribute to the cause or the spread will continue as we have seen recently. Yes, it is inconvenient, yes, you may miss out on something, yes, your plans may have to alter. But, only together with everyone’s help, can we move forward towards a return to normal. Follow these guidelines:
1. Wear a mask (MHDDS orders require masks in all businesses, workplaces, and schools) 2. Avoid public gatherings (MDHHS orders limit indoors (10 people maximum) and outdoors (100 people maximum)) 3. Keep at least 6 feet away from others indoors or outdoors 4. Wash your hands frequently 5. Stay home if you are sick 6. Cooperate with contact tracing.
"Seven Generation River" -- Sustainability Film Series discussion online May 21
Image courtesy greatlakesnow.org
UPDATE: UPEC May 12 virtual discussion on Line 5, tunnel regulation now online
This Enbridge photo shows a company diver inspecting the Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. (Photo courtesy Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition)
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) presented "Line 5: What’s the fuss? A virtual discussion" Tuesday, May 12. The online presentation, by Jeff Towner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers retired wildlife biologist, and Mike Ripley of the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) is now available on UPEC's YouTube channel. Towner and Ripley discuss the controversy over re-permitting Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline, which now passes through the Upper Peninsula and crosses the Straits of Mackinac, to be moved to a proposed tunnel under the Straits. Towner explains the regulatory path Enbridge has to go through for the Line 5 tunnel approval. Ripley discusses tribal efforts to shut down Line 5 because of the dangers a spill would pose to their fisheries, which they operate under rights afforded them by the Treaty of 1836. Jeff Towner has extensive experience with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service throughout the U.S., as well as in wildlife work in Africa. Mike Ripley is an Environmental Coordinator for the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA), a position he’s held since 1996. CORA represents five tribes in Michigan with regard to the tribes’ commercial and subsistence fisheries in the 1836 treaty-ceded waters of Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior.
Update: Michigan Tech's Guy Meadows on Michigan's lake levels; Apr. webinar now online
Engineer Guy Meadows, Michigan Tech University Robbins professor of Sustainable Marine Engineering and the founding director of the Great Lakes Research Center, discussed Michigan’s lake levels from 1938 to present to inform coastal communities, property owners and community planners at Michigan’s High Water Summit held April 28 -- a webinar town hall focusing on shoreline erosion and permitting.That webinar is now available here on YouTube.
Celebrate the U.P.! with UPEC on line Apr. 25
Celebrate the U.P.! virtually.
Celebrate the U.P.! 2020 (Virtually) with the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC). The April 25 event is now available on YouTube here. Guest speakers are as follows:
--Keynote speaker Monica Lewis-Patrick, President and CEO of We the People of Detroit: "Water as a Human Right."
--Sarah Green, Michigan Tech Professor of Chemistry who recently took a group of students to the COP25 climate conference in Madrid: "International Climate Action."
--Angie Carter, Michigan Tech Assistant Professor of Social Sciences: "Cultivating Connection: Strengthening Our Regional Food System."
--UPEC Annual Membership Meeting. Updates from Board Members.
--Short videos: "Homespun Responses in an Extraordinary Time." Local people show how they turned Michigan's pandemic stay-at-home order into a positive experience.
It's 1900. Beneath the gorgeous new Red Jacket Opera House -- Calumet Theatre -- copper miners work night and day. Finnish miner's daughter Lilly is at the center of these two plays, "Calumet 1900" and "Sarah Bernhardt 1911," and an interim act taking place in the social hall for Finnish immigrants. Click here or on book cover above for more info on the latest plays from Mary Jane Williams. Available at North Wind Books in Hancock for $25. UPDATE:A black and white edition is available on Amazon.com for $10.99.
Saving Copper Country birds at Portage Library
New films on Portage Lake District Library windows save birds. (Photo courtesy Portage Library)
Birds hitting windows is one of the leading causes of their death. Birds see a reflection of the outdoors in a window so they try to fly right through. The Portage Lake District Library has had many bird strikes, especially on the bridge side near trees. A Copper Country Audubon member who worked at the library requested help to prevent these bird strikes. Stencils of hawks and other things can be put on windows to help prevent bird strikes, but none are as effective as a new product that birds see but humans can't: Bird’s Eye View® window films -- six-inch plastic films that look like frosted glass. They are clean, easy to install and non-adhesive -- so they remove easily. The films work by reflecting ultraviolet light that birds can see as a bright blue glow across the window surface. Having the films on large windows reduces window strikes by up to 80 percent. Copper Country Audubon members donated 30 films to the Portage Lake District Library to help prevent bird strikes. They have a decorative design so they do not obstruct the beautiful views from the library windows. Window films were also put on some of the worst windows at Michigan Tech. For more information about Copper Country Audubon contact Dana Richter, 482-3361 or dlrichte@mtu.edu.
Finlandia University
Portage Lake District Library
Buffalo Reef Task Force to hold public meeting July 31 on saving fish habitat from stamp sands
The Buffalo Reef Task Force will hold a public meeting to discuss three alternatives tentatively selected for further analysis in the fight to save Buffalo Reef -- an important natural reef near Gay, Mich., where historic copper mine tailings (stamp sands) are threatening to destroy spawning habitat and recruitment areas important to Lake Superior whitefish and lake trout. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. (EDT) TONIGHT, Wednesday, July 31, at the Lake Linden-Hubbell High School, 601 Calumet Avenue, Lake Linden. In February, the task force issued an alternatives analysis which briefly described 13 strategies for managing historic copper mine tailings threatening to destroy spawning habitat and recruitment areas important to Lake Superior whitefish and lake trout in and around Buffalo Reef. Maintenance dredging has been ongoing this summer in the harbor and the trough area to buy time to develop a long-term solution to the stamp sands issue. Click here for details.
Jack Parker: 1930-2019
Keweenaw Now file photo courtesy Jack Parker.
Keweenaw Now wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Jack Parker of Twin Lakes and Baltic, who passed away on April 20, 2019, at the age of 88. Born in England, Jack was a miner of great expertise, who loved the outdoors and cared about the environment. Click here to read our Dec. 6, 2010, article about Jack.Keweenaw Now also published several letters to the editor from him. Click here to read his Obituary.
Dance Zone Marquette
Click on logo above for info on dances and schedules of events.
Bipartisan climate legislation has been introduced in Congress -- H.R. 7173, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend approach that -- if passed -- would help us make significant progress toward our big goal: keeping warming to 2ºC. The bill will put a price on carbon, a key step to quickly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. It also will protect about 2/3 of our UP households, including most lower income households, from rising energy costs. CCL will be sharing more about how to support this bill, will be contacting Rep. Bergman urging him to sign on as co-sponsor, and will be writing letters to the editor. Bergman needs to hear from as many of his constituents as possible, so he knows how much this issues matters to us. You can read about the bill at energyinnovationact.org and then call Congressman Bergman and ask him to co-sponsor H.R. 7173.
Gustavo Bourdieu , 74, a resident of Hancock, passed away suddenly on Monday, September 17, 2018. Gustavo was born in Buenos Aires, Arge...
From Michele Bourdieu, Editor:
Many thanks to all who attended our Memorial for Gustavo on Sunday, Oct. 21. Thanks also to all who have sent lovely cards, email and Facebook messages of condolence and more. In addition to taking photos for Keweenaw Now, Gustavo kept computers running and technology up-to-date for Keweenaw Now's postings. We miss him very much for so many reasons.
Copper Country Recycling
Click on logo above for info on Copper Country Recycling. (Logo courtesy Copper Country Recycling Initiative)
The Copper Country Recycling Initiative (CCRI), a group of local citizens working together to promote recycling in the Copper Country, urges residents of the Keweenaw to save natural resources and energy and to help extend the life of the landfill by integrating the three "Rs" into their daily life: Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. CCRI has worked to implement cardboard recycling at the Houghton County Transfer Station and Chassell and curbside recycling in Hancock and Houghton, as well as E(lectronic) Waste collection; and, in the near future, there are plans for household hazardous waste and tire recycling. The CCRI brochure, (available on the CCRI website here) lists what is recyclable along with what to do with batteries, bedding, books, cellphones, clothing, construction material, Electronic waste, glasses, medication, motor oil, packing material, printer cartridges, and more. There is also a sign-up for their mailing list.
Copper Country GoFundMe campaigns continue
The Foss home and garage next to Ripley Falls. (Photo courtesy Houghton County Commissioner Tom Tikkanen. Reprinted with permission.)
Fundraiser to help Ripley family: home damaged by flood, waterfall
Click on photo above to learn how you can help.
Brockit.com
See photos of volunteers working to help families impacted by the June 17 flood on the Facebook page for brockit inc. Thanks to Adam Johnson of brockit for sharing photos and his aerial video.
Slide Show: Keweenaw March for Our Lives
In solidarity with the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018, more than 200 participants marched across the Portage Lift Bridge from Houghton to Hancock, Michigan, and back. Click on photo and follow arrows for the slide show.
See KNSC updates on trail conditions and photos on the Maasto Hiihto blog.
Kids, parents enjoy 2018 Barneløpet ski race at Maasto Hiihto
Skiers of all ages take off for the 11th annual non-competitive Barneløpet ski race on Feb. 11. (Photo courtesy Arlyn Aronson)
Kids and parents braved a chilly, windy Sunday, Feb.11, for the 11th annual Barneløpet children's ski race at Maasto Hiihto -- hosted by the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, Sons of Norway, and the City of Hancock and sponsored by Portage Health Auxiliary. Click on photo above for more photos of the event taken by Maasto groomer Arlyn Aronson.
Slide Show: Sister March: Jan. 21, 2018
Click on above photo to access our new slide show of the Sister March. Click on this lead bridge photo in the slide show. Click info icons for captions. Follow arrows to the right to follow the march.
Slide Show: Art, Culture, Oct.-Nov. 2017
From arts and crafts to film and dance, Keweenaw Now's SLIDE SHOW: Art, Culture Oct. - Nov. 2017 presents photo highlights of art and cultural events we attended in the Copper Country during the fall of 2017. Click on the above photo of Ginger and Mike at the opening of their SewCranky shop in Hancock and follow the right arrows to see all the photos. Info icon gives you the captions.
New book by Nancy Langston
Click on book cover above to learn about Nancy Langston's latest book. (Book cover image courtesy Nancy Langston)
New book by Cyndi Perkins
Book cover courtesy Cyndi Perkins and Beating Windward Press.
New Novel by Kristin Neva
"Copper Country" is the second novel in Kristin Neva's Copper Island Series. Click on book cover to go to the Amazon.com page for the book. (Book cover courtesy Kristin Neva)
Copper Country, by Keweenaw author Kristin Neva, is the second novel in her Copper Island Series, following Snow Country (see ad below). Two main characters, Aimee and Russ, appear in both novels. Neva continues to describe life in the Keweenaw, including the influence of Finnish names and culture. Click on book cover image above to learn more or purchase the book on Amazon.com.
"Snow Country" -- A Copper Island Novel
Set on the Keweenaw Peninsula, this inspirational novel features contemporary Finnish-American and Yooper culture while exploring themes of love, loss and faith.
Calumet Art Center
Click on logo above to learn about the Calumet Art Center's many activities and classes.
Midnight in the Pawn Shop
Deborah Frontiera, author of "Living on Sisu," has recently published this short novel for mature readers. Click on book cover above for more info. (Photo courtesy Deborah Frontiera)
Offer from Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society
Book cover designed by Avis L. West of Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society. Photograph courtesy Michigan Technological University Archives.
This publication by the Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society (HKCGS) can be yours for free with a minimum $50 donation to the Italian Hall Memorial Fund. The book tells about the families of Italian Hall victims and includes historic photos. If you wish to donate and receive a copy of the book, please click on book cover above for the HKCGS order form, complete the form, print it and mail it to the address on the form. See story about the memorial and other ways to donate here.
Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District announcements
UPDATED: Attention Hancock Residents: Waste Management Garbage and Recycling
Waste Management Garbage and Recycling new schedule for Hancockstarted on Sept. 12, 2016. - All items need to be out by 7 a.m. -Weekly same day pick up for garbage and recycling (using a new dual garbage truck) -Pick Up Day Change affects some neighborhoods: -East of Elevation Street will be on Monday. -West of Elevation Street will be on Wednesday. *Pick up for residents living on Elevation, S. Elevation and N. Elevation Streets will be on WEDNESDAY. -Any container will work for recycling. Some people are painting or taping (recycling) on the bins they now use or you can purchase a new recycling bin from McGann’s or Risto’s. -Single stream will continue for all items including glass and clean pizza boxes! -Service is also available to small commercial. -The City still has a recycling drop off at the DPW Garage (1601 Tomasi Drive) QUESTIONS: Call Bill Marlor, DPW, 482-1480 or Glenn Anderson, City Manager, 482-1121. Click here for Waste Management's new list of acceptable and unacceptable items for recycling. Thank you for your participation.
Slide Show: Christmas in Calumet 2016
Click on the photo above to see our slide show of Calumet on Dec. 3: the Poor Artists Sale, Santa, and art gallery exhibits. Click on any photo and follow the arrows. To read captions, click on the info icon.
Slide Shows: Family fun with science, more ...
Our recent slide shows highlight the Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival (KSEF) and Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) community events held Aug. 4 - 6, 2016; the 2016 Keweenaw Science Fair winners honored by Carnegie Museum; and the Lake Superior Celebration at GLRC in April 2016.
The new slide shows can be accessed as follows: Click here or on the photo above for the slide show of the Aug. 5, 2016, Keweenaw Water Festival at Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC). Click here for the Aug. 4 and Aug. 6 Keweenaw Science and Engineering (KSEF) family events held in Houghton's Kestner Waterfront Park, and click here for photos of some 2016 Science Fair winners and highlights of the April 26, 2016, Lake Superior Celebration sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan STEM Partnership, the Copper Country Recycling Initiative and more. For each slide show, click on the first photo in the album and click the info icon in the top right corner for the caption. Then click on forward arrows to view the photos as a slide show.
Eagle Rock, 2010: Slide show
In May 2010, concerned Native and non-Native citizens camped, prayed and planted a garden at Eagle Rock, an Ojibwa sacred site, which was blasted for the portal to the Rio-Tinto-Kennecott Eagle Mine. The mine, now in operation, was sold to Lundin Mining Corporation of Toronto. Click on photo above to access a photo album on Eagle Rock protests in May 2010. Click on the first photo in the album and then on the info icon to view captions if they are not visible on the right. To view the photos as a slide show, click on the forward arrows.
Click here for the latest news on Save the Water's Edge.
A Rascal's Craft
The poetic musings of Eelu Kiviranta, a Finnish immigrant and self-proclaimed rascal. Side-by-side Finnish with English translation by Lillian Lehto. Introduction by Steve Lehto. Includes "The Copper Country Strike of 1913." Available from Amazon or the translator, 1419 Yosemite, Birmingham, MI 48009, $19.95. Click on cover to see Youtube video.
Distant Drum
Original clothing and wall pieces custom designed and sewn by Andrea Puzakulich in the Keweenaw for 25 years. Distant Drum is located in Hancock's Historic E.L.Wright Bldg. Open most weekday afternoons. Call ahead.
New edition of book by Steve Lehto
Click on book cover to access Steve's Facebook page on the Italian Hall disaster.
Click here to see Steve Lehto's YouTube video about Italian Hall.
Keweenaw Adventure Company
Red Circle Consulting
Mike Lahti at State Farm
Copper Country Community Arts Center
Click here to visit the Community Arts Center on Facebook.
Keweenaw BEST!
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
What Is Sustainable
Author Richard Adrian Reese recounts how his life took a new direction after 9 years of simple living in the Keweenaw -- and offers a new worldview for a sustainable future.
Welcome to our Keweenaw Now blog. This site, the sequel to the Web site www.keweenawnow.com, officially began on September 1, 2007. The Blogger format allows you, our readers, to comment on any post. Read our articles here and send us your comments and suggestions! Comments are reviewed by the editor. They must be related to the article and not contain advertising links or objectionable text. If you click on the headline of an article, it will go to the article's own (archive) page, where comments appear and where you can reply to them. Click on the comment link below the article to send us a comment. Sometimes the number of comments is indicated on that link on the home page. It may take some time for comments to appear.
In addition, Keweenaw Now offers editing -- including editing of scholarly papers in various fields -- and some translation services. We can also help you write or edit the text on your Web site.
Email Keweenaw Now Editor Michele Bourdieu, Ph.D., at keweenawnews@gmail.com with your suggestions and requests.
Yoopers for Ukraine to hold Vigils marking 2 years of Ukrainian resistance
Saturday, Feb. 24, marks two years of Ukraine's defensive war against Russian aggression. Yoopers for Ukraine is joining with 180 cities across the Globe to promote the "Believe in Ukraine" campaign. Supporters of Ukraine are invited to participate in the following events this weekend: Candlelight Vigils to be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, and Saturday, Feb. 24, at Veterans Park in Houghton and a sunrise community prayer service at 7 a.m. at the Peace Pole in Houghton. All are invited to the Pier in Houghton (near Portage Lake District Library) at Noon on Saturday, Feb. 24, for "73 minutes for 730 days of Resilience." This event is part of Klych, a movement working on building strong relationships with activists and organizations aiding Ukraine, as well as organizing long-term projects.
Blog Archive: Click on arrows for links to articles published that week.
