Ryan St. Community Garden brings university, city together

Coordinators of the Ryan Street Community Garden in Hancock -- from left, Viki Weglarz, Keren Tischler and Barbara Hardy -- take a break from garden work on a sunny June 2, 2011. (Photos by Keweenaw Now unless otherwise indicated.)

By Leena Vänni *

I have no experience with gardening because I am a "city girl." When I arrived in Hancock, I saw a sign very near to the house where I’m living. When I found out it was a community garden I decided to take part, and I have had only a positive experience. In the garden, there is always something to do; and, after long days in the office, physical work acts as a great counterbalance.

Leena Vänni, author of this article, checks on the vegetables she has planted in her raised bed plot at the Ryan Street Community Garden. Vänni, of Tampere, Finland, has been in Hancock for several months working as an intern for The Finnish American Reporter.*

I have a private backyard on the other side of my house, so I had a choice to make. I could learn to garden all by myself on the shadowy side of the house -- or garden together with the other people who teach me and help me and are there to chat with while we tend to our crops. The decision wasn’t too hard. In "community gardening," the "community" comes first.

This is the first growing season for the Ryan Street Community Garden, which was founded in collaboration with Finlandia University and the City of Hancock. It is Hancock’s first community garden and part of a strategic and creative long-term exchange of resources between the University and the community. The idea of the community garden came from Glenn Anderson, Hancock city manager. Philip Johnson, president of Finlandia University, was inspired by the idea of the community garden. As Finlandia was tearing down old houses on its campus, the university was able to provide a piece of land.

Part of the City of Hancock's commitment to the community garden project is to provide water to the garden at no charge. Shown here, from left, are Joe, Bob, and Ken of the Hancock Department of Public Works hooking up a supply line for the garden off the existing water hydrant. Sustainable water use strategy at the garden is first to conserve water, then to collect and use rainwater from on-site sources, and as a last option use City-supplied water. (Photo © and courtesy Sustainable Keweenaw Resource Center)

"At Finlandia, we are looking for every way possible to build the campus and the community together," says Johnson.

He finds the community garden a great opportunity for the university to be part of a sustainable community.

The process of creating a garden required a lot of work. The old foundations and remnants of construction debris were filled in and covered over with sand and gravel. Very little topsoil was left to support a garden, and large pieces of concrete and stone foundation remained just below the surface. Because of this, the primary challenge to developing the site was to improve the soil.

At a garden orientation on May 7, 2011, gardeners discuss the community compost system and the importance of cycling nutrients to maintain soil fertility. Barbara Hardy, left, said one great feature of the garden is the fact that the gardeners can have an outlet for composting their own food scraps. (Photo © and courtesy Sustainable Keweenaw Resource Center)

"I am amazed how fast the coordinators made good plans and carried it through. The design of the garden seems to be as good as it could be," said one of the gardeners, Don Herman, whose grandparents came from Vaasa, Finland.

Herman is an experienced gardener and used to have a garden when he lived for 40 years near San Diego, California. It was a great place to grow fruit trees. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has a more demanding climate, so he is approaching this first summer as an experimental period, planting several vegetables and finding out what will do well.

Hancock resident Don Herman waters his vegetable patch at the Ryan Street Community Garden on a sunny afternoon. (Photo © and courtesy Leena Vänni)

The design solution was to build raised beds.

"We designed the rest of the garden around the raised beds, working our ideas out on paper first and implementing them as the labor and resources are available," said the Sustainable Keweenaw Resource Center's Barbara Hardy, coordinator of the garden project. "This is only the garden’s first season so there is still much to be developed. In addition to the raised beds for growing annual vegetables, flowers, and herbs we plan to have a perennial food garden, a rainwater roof catchment system, an information kiosk, interpretive signage, public art pieces, and much more."

Mark Salo of Salo Contracting (on roof), is pictured here with his crew (from left) John Crooks and Mark Hill, during construction of the shed for storing garden tools and supplies. Salo, an experienced forester and timber-frame builder, generously donated his time to custom design and build the structure for the Ryan Street Garden. (Photo © and courtesy Sustainable Keweenaw Resource Center)

The piece of land had previously been a site of two houses, both of which were inhabited by nuns. During the groundwork, several crucifixes and other religious objects were found and collected. In a stroke of bad luck, these objects were stolen later on as they were waiting to be picked up.

Hardy has lots of ideas for the community garden. She hopes to use the garden for educational purposes. The variety of ages, experience levels, and gardening styles among the participating gardeners results in a natural and informal exchange of information that happens between people when they work together. Some of the new gardeners have no experience at all.

Because the garden is located in the heart of downtown and is surrounded by the Finlandia University campus, the site is very visible to the public and receives a lot of visitors.

"We plan to have demonstration areas and interpretive signage throughout the garden so people can take a self-guided tour and learn about different elements of the garden such as composting, cold-hardy crops, rainwater collection, native and companion plants, and more," said Hardy.

Barbara Hardy adjusts a row cover made of spun polyester. The covers protect young plants from frost. The completed storage shed can be seen in the background.

In the future, Hardy’s idea is to work with the university to convert the house adjacent to the garden into a learning center for classes and workshops.

Community gardens bring many benefits to the community, like stimulating social interaction, beautifying neighborhoods and producing nutritious food.

Hardy said that, for her, the most important value of the community garden is building community self-reliance, which she defines as learning how to meet the needs of our community with the resources and skills we have available within our region.

Hancock resident Joyce Koskenmaki checks on her vegetable plot at the Ryan Street Community Garden.

"Learning how to grow your own food is a fun and rewarding place to start," Hardy noted. "In fact gardening encompasses a lot more than just agricultural skills. You also learn about nutrition, cooking, carpentry, plumbing, masonry, local meteorology, geology, natural history, social dynamics and much more."

Ryan Street Garden coordinators, from left, Barbara Hardy, Keren Tischler and Viki Weglarz inside the tool shed.

Gardener Herman finds several benefits as well, like being a part of a group with similar goals and helping to start something that is meaningful for the community.

"Gardening is also good exercise, and it gives satisfaction to see something valuable grow," he said.

*Editor's Notes: This article first appeared, in slightly different form, in the June 2011 issue of The Finnish American Reporter (Vol. 25 - No. 6). Reprinted with permission.

See more photos on the Sustainable Keweenaw Resource Center's Web site.

Mother Earth Water Walkers to reach Baraga June 8

BARAGA -- The 2011 Mother Earth Water Walk is nearing its final destination -- Bad River, Wisconsin -- and will pass through the following Michigan locations this week:
Seney - June 4,5; Munising - June 5,6; Harvey - June 6, 7; Champion - June 7, 8; Sidnaw and Baraga - June 8.

Mother Earth Water Walk 2011 poster courtesy New Warriors for the Earth.*

Members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) will host a Welcome Reception for the walkers from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, at the Ojibwa Community College Gym in Baraga.

Everyone is welcome to show their support for our most precious and sacred element -- water -- and bring yourself, children, friends and family to walk with these courageous women as they come through on their way to Bad River, Wisconsin.

Donations and gifts are appreciated but are not required.

The 1st Annual Women’s Water Walk took place in April 2003. Several women from different clans came together to raise awareness that our clean and clear water is being polluted by chemicals, vehicle emissions, motor boats, sewage disposal, agricultural pollution, leaking landfill sites -- and that residential usage is taking a toll on our water quality.

Along with supporters, the women walked around Lake Superior in Spring 2003, around Lake Michigan in 2004, Lake Huron in 2005, Lake Ontario in 2006 and Lake Erie in 2007.**

Editor's Notes:
* Visit New Warriors for the Earth for a larger version of the poster.

** In 2003, our original Keweenaw Now Web site (keweenawnow.com) reported progress of the first Women's Water Walk. Click here for some news items on that event.

Celebrate World Environment Day: June 5

HANCOCK -- Sunday, June 5, 2011, is World Environment Day (WED), sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme. It is an annual event aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place all year round but climax on June 5 every year.

World Environment Day began in 1972 and has grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

This year's theme -- Forests: Nature At Your Service -- is meant to create awareness of the multiple roles forests play in our lives, including providing a source of livelihood, refuge for many species, and clean air for all.

Do something for the environment on June 5 -- plant flowers or vegetables, plant a tree, create habitat in your back yard for birds and other wildlife, pick up plastic bags floating around the neighborhood, recycle something to keep it out of a landfill ...

Check out the World Environment Day Web page to read how people all over the world are taking action for the environment.

Concerned about climate change? Click here for a section devoted to that topic with links to recent informative articles.

Opinion: The True Value of "Hobby" Classes

By Rick Kasprzak*

The current political climate is very hostile towards public education and arts classes in particular. It has been suggested classes such as shop are "hobby" classes.

I am a direct beneficiary of those "hobby" classes offered in public schools. So are you.

In his workshop, Calumet resident Rick Kasprzak cuts a 2X4 to size using a miter-saw, also known as a "chop" saw. (Photo © and courtesy Rebekah Kasprzak)

Along with a lot of students, I took metal and wood shop classes when I was in Junior High School. At the time, realistically I didn’t put too much stock in them. I was gearing myself towards a degree in electronics engineering, as at the time computers were the wave of the future.

However, the engineering degree didn’t pan out. Now I find myself in a retail career. The Business minor is coming in handy.

I like to think of myself as a capitalist. I recognize a need, and I fill it. Anyone with the savvy can make some capital, which is the point of capitalist market.

One thing the Keweenaw abounds with is vacant properties. With the current economic situation, anyone with credit or cash can take advantage of the opportunities. With the basic tool skills I possess because of those shop classes, I have the confidence to buy those properties and rehabilitate them.

That obviously benefits me, but you may be wondering how that helps you.

Rick Kasprzak assembles a greenhouse he is attaching to his garage, over a raised-bed garden. (Photo © and courtesy Rebekah Kasprzak)

When I purchase a property in tax default, the state and the municipality immediately recoup the back taxes. Also, the property is then held by someone responsible (in this case, me) who will continue to pay taxes. Also, it is in my best interest to fix up the property. That means I am investing in the community by keeping a home from deteriorating. That in turn, has a positive effect on the surrounding homes by adding value to all the properties in the neighborhood.

My intention is to turn these rehabilitated homes into affordable rental housing, another valuable service to the community. As I acquire more properties, I will need to hire contractors and handymen. I will be purchasing supplies and tools from local businesses. I hope to grow my small business large enough that I can retire from my retail job and focus on property acquisition and rehabilitation.

Not bad for a few "hobby" classes.

*Editor's Note: Calumet resident and guest writer Rick Kasprzak attended the May 14 "Save Your School, Show Your Spirit" rally in Houghton. He said he agreed with music teacher Ann Campbell's statements defending "hobby" classes and wrote this article to share his experience with Keweenaw Now readers. See our May 15, 2011, article, "Local teachers, union members rally for schools," with a videoclip of Campbell's comments.

Three Calumet galleries to host First Friday events June 3

CALUMET -- First Friday, June 3, will offer three great events at three Calumet galleries.

"Orchids and Rare Wildflowers" at Copper Country Associated Artists Gallery

Ram's-head Lady's-slipper (Cypripedium arietinum), a native Keweenaw Orchid and a wildflower of Michigan Special Concern, is part of the program photographer Harvey Desnick will present Friday, June 3, at the Copper Country Associated Artists Gallery in Calumet. (Photo © and courtesy Harvey Desnick)

Some of the most fascinating orchids in North America inhabit our Keweenaw Peninsula. Friday June 3, Harvey Desnick, author of the wildflower pictorial Keweenaw Wildflowers Blooming Seasons, will present his program, "Orchids and Rare Wildflowers of the Keweenaw," at the Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA) Gallery as part of First Friday Art Night in Historic Downtown Calumet.

Through Harvey’s photography, you’ll see and learn about 26 native orchids and a number of rare and endangered wildflowers growing from the Lake Superior shores to the tops of the Keweenaw cliffs.

The lights will be dimmed to afford the best viewing of this colorful presentation. The program will start at 7 p.m. and will run about 45 minutes. Admission is free. Seating is limited. The CCAA Gallery is located at 112 Fifth Street in Calumet.

Ed Gray Gallery to host Fiber Show

An exhibit by fiber artists Donna Kallner, Bill and Linda Sumner, and Karen Tembruell will open with a reception for the artists from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on First Friday, June 3, at the Ed Gray Gallery in Calumet.

This show, which will continue through June 29, 2011, will coincide with the Midwest Weavers’ Conference to be held June 19-26 at Finlandia University in Hancock. The theme of this year's conference is "Northern Wefts."*

The Ed Gray Gallery is at 109 Fifth St. Call (906) 337-5970 for more information.

"The Language of Fiber" to open at Vertin Gallery for June

The Vertin Gallery's June show, "The Language of Fiber," will feature the work of Wynne Mattila, Cameron Taylor-Brown and Susan Moran. This show coincides with "Northern Wefts," the 2011 Midwest Weavers' Conference taking place in Hancock June 19-26.*

Wynne Mattila is a self-taught rug designer and weaver, creating "contemporary expressions of weave structures used in traditional Finnish and Scandinavian textiles." She is based in Minneapolis, Minn.

Cameron Taylor-Brown is a Los Angeles-based fiber artist, who, through her weaving, "embraces and celebrates the ancient heritage and language of woven cloth." She has been involved in textiles and education on both coasts in many different arenas.

Susan Moran works with traditional surface design techniques, adapting them to express contemporary images of the human experience of the natural world, while acknowledging the historical significance as well as the functions that textiles have served. She lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"The Language of Fiber" will be on display at the Vertin Gallery from June 3 through June 29, with an reception to be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22, to coincide with the Midwest Weavers' Conference.

Although the reception will be postponed to June 22, the Vertin will be open late on First Friday, June 3, for those who want to get a first look at the exhibit. The Vertin is also pleased to welcome back Ansley Knoch as a special guest curator for this event.

Located in the heart of downtown Calumet, the Vertin Gallery is one of the Upper Peninsula’s premiere galleries, featuring art across all mediums including painting, copper, jewelry, sculpture and fine woodworking. The work in the gallery changes frequently and, each month, premiers a new exhibit to feature fresh new artists of the highest quality. For more information on the gallery and upcoming events, please visit www.vertingallery.com or call (906) 337-2200.

* Click here for information on the Midwest Weavers' Conference.

Copper Range Historical Museum to host Open House June 4

SOUTH RANGE -- The Copper Range Historical Museum, 44 Trimountain Ave., South Range, Mich., will host an Open House from noon to 3 p.m. this Saturday, June 4, to celebrate the museum’s first day of operation in the summer 2011 season. Admission to the Open House is free.

The Copper Range Historical Museum in South Range will host an Open House from noon to 3 p.m. this Saturday, June 4. Free admission. (Photo courtesy Karen Johnson, secretary, Copper Range Historical Society and Museum of South Range)

The Copper Range Historical Museum’s collection of displays, artifacts, and photos provides visitors with a sense of what life was like for copper miners and their families during the copper boom years in the late 19th and early- to mid-20th centuries.

Copper Range Historical Museum hours are noon to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday, June 4 through October 1. The museum is closed on Mondays in June and September. A $1 donation is suggested; children and museum members are admitted free.

This summer the museum is participating -- with more than 1,300 other museums nationwide -- in the National Endowment for the Arts’ Blue Star Museums program, which offers free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families.

To contact the museum, call 906-482-6125. To arrange a free group tour, call 906-482-6844.

Petition-signing event for Snyder recall to be June 4 in Hancock

HANCOCK -- A petition-signing event for the Rick Snyder recall effort will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, at the Keweenaw Co-op Community Room, 1035 Ethel Ave., Hancock.

This is the first of several signing days in the Copper Country for the Rick Snyder recall effort. Come sign your name and/or pick up petitions to disseminate to your various communities/areas. Detailed instructions will be available during pickup.

VERY IMPORTANT: Park along the street ONLY. Do NOT park in the Co-op's parking lot to attend this event.

PLEASE NOTE: Allowing a group to use the Community Room does not in any way constitute an endorsement of that group's beliefs by the Keweenaw Cooperative Board of Directors, Keweenaw Cooperative management, or Keweenaw Cooperative staff; and no claim to that effect nor claim of Keweenaw Cooperative sponsorship may be used explicitly or implicitly, in advertising.

Reasons to recall Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder:

Rick Snyder has indicated a desire to eliminate collective bargaining and other employee rights and favors tax cuts for the rich while taxing pensions and increasing taxes for the poor. He intends to assign emergency financial managers (EFMs) to any community or school district that has to request assistance in times of financial stress. The EFM will have the full authority to dissolve unions and overrule local governments.

We in the Upper Peninsula know that Lansing very often doesn't have our best interests in mind. According to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, nearly the entire Upper Peninsula is considered to be a "blighted" or "distressed" area. The prospect of a state-appointed financial manager from Lansing taking control of our communities and penalizing our public workers becomes all too real.

On top of that, Snyder has proposed to slash funding for K-12 and Higher Ed. Once again, the standards that are applied to school districts and public universities downstate rarely apply to us; and we may be forced to consolidate even further than we already have.

Join us here for some essential Yooper solidarity and join with our brothers and sisters downstate who also value democracy, community, and the simple values and inalienable rights of the middle and lower class.

For more information and updates about the effort please visit The Committee to Recall Rick Snyder Web site at http://firericksnyder.org/ Learn about the the local Upper Peninsula effort at www.facebook.com/yoopersagainstsnyder.

Event coordinator: Krissy Sundstrom

Click here for a map with directions to the Keweenaw Co-op.

Photo: "Recall Rick" sign at the April 2, 2011, Bridge Walk for Unity in Houghton protesting Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's budget with proposed cuts to schools, taxes on the working poor and seniors' retirement, and tax breaks for corporations -- as well as the Emergency Financial Manager legislation, which could allow the governor to fire elected officials and take over municipalities and school districts. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Click here to read our Apr. 4, 2011, article about the Bridge Walk for Unity.

Portage Library to host creative writing workshop June 2

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host a creative writing workshop with local author Rekha Ambardar from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 2.

In her workshop, "Beginnings, Endings, and the Stuff in Between," Ambardar will discuss strong beginnings and endings in fiction writing with a focus on ways to retain tension in the middle of a story.

This workshop is geared towards adults and young adults, and both experienced and beginning writers are welcome. Writing materials and handouts will be provided.

Ambardar is the author of two contemporary novels, His Harbor Girl and Maid to Order, and over ninety short stories, articles, and essays in print and electronic magazines. She is an assistant professor of business at Finlandia’s International School of Business.

Deadline for early Chain Drive registration is May 31; volunteers still needed

Participants in the 2010 Portage Health Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival head for the trails after crossing the Portage Lift Bridge from Houghton to Hancock. The Chain Drive Festival is held annually in conjunction with Bridge Fest. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2010 and courtesy Kate Flynn)

HANCOCK -- The Portage Health Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival is once again ready to roll out on Father's Day Weekend, June 18. The race features 16- and 32-mile point-to-point events starting in downtown Houghton, traversing Maasto Hiihto, Churning Rapids and a few private trails on its way to the finish at Portage Health in Hancock.

Be sure to register by Tuesday, May 31, in order to receive a discount and an event t-shirt. After May 31 the fees go up and t-shirts are not available.

Single track, elevation and rocks -- what more could you ask for? There's also a Junior Chain Drive for those 13 and under.

Please visit www.chaindrive.org to register or to receive additional information. All proceeds go to support trail efforts in the Keweenaw!

Please note: Junior Chain Drive registration is day-of-race only.

Volunteers still needed for race

Dan Dalquist, Chain Drive volunteer organizer, reports the good news that all the first aid teams, all the sweeps, all registration volunteer spots are full. Still, more volunteers are needed.

"We need people for traffic control,' Dalquist says. "This is a short-time commitment and involves you and a partner at many locations, stopping cars at a particular location as the racers fly past. Once the trace Sweep passes, you are done! We have spots in Houghton and in Hancock and near the finish line at Portage Health."

Volunteers are scheduled for Navy St. and Tezcuco on site at 0900 to stop parking along Navy St. in Hancock.

"This is a great way to see the racers," Dalquist adds, "a lot of fun for spouses, partners and those cyclists who are not racing! Cheering and applauding and ringing cow bells are encouraged!"

If you can volunteer, call Dan Dalquist at 906-337-0356 or at 906-370-2206 or email him at ddalquist@gmail.com.

Heart and Hands Award nominations due June 23

HANCOCK -- Do you know anyone who has given of Heart and Hands in the service of peace, justice or the environment in our local community? Please consider nominating this person (or couple) for this year’s Heart and Hands Award. The nomination form only takes a moment to fill out, and the recognition will mean a lot to a deserving individual! Nominations are due June 23, 2011.

In 1998 the Martha and Floyd Heart and Hands Society was founded with a small endowment from the estate of Martha and Floyd Kinzel. The intent of the society is to provide recognition to a person who has given of her or his heart and hands in the service of peace, justice, or the environment who might otherwise not be recognized.

As the endowment has grown, the Society has been able to offer an accompanying monetary award which is given to a local, nonprofit organization designated by the awardee. This year the monetary award will be $1000. There is also a youth award for a young person age 18 or under for $250. The award is announced on July 4th at the annual HorseTail Scramble at Churning Rapids.

Submit nominations by June 23, 2011 to: Heart and Hands Award, 53044 Hwy M203, Hancock, MI 49930 or email tkinzel@pasty.net.

Please include the following information: Candidate name and address; your name, address, phone number, and email. Answer in 500 words or less: How has the candidate had a significant impact on the Keweenaw community giving of themselves in a caring, committed, or heartfelt way in the area of peace, justice, human needs and/or environmental stewardship? Please be specific about what form their contribution and involvement has taken.

Click here for the nomination form.

Hancock Tori (market) to open June 1

HANCOCK -- The Hancock "Tori" (Finnish for "market") will open its 2011 season at 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 1, on the front lawn of the former Middle School on Quincy Street, next to the Finnish American Heritage Center. The Tori hosts vendors of fresh local produce, baked goods, preserves, handcrafts, and more.

During the 2010 season at Hancock's Tori, a large display of baked goods, jams and jellies can be seen at the table of Martha Sohlden of Chassell. In the background are Sandy Soring of Copper City, 2011 Tori manager, who makes baskets, and Gustavo Bourdieu of Hancock, who sells fresh vegetables and honey. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2010 and courtesy Dorn Dyttmer)

The Tori is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or until sold out) every Wednesday and Saturday during the growing season.

For information contact Sandy Soring at 906.337.1391 or email sandysoring@charter.net.

Visit the Tori blog for more photos from last year's market.

Keweenaw artists exhibit works at DeVos Art Museum June 3-July 24

By Michele Bourdieu

"Winter Pond," by Zach Gayk. Oil painting. (Photo courtesy Zach Gayk)

MARQUETTE -- Works by three local artists -- Zach Gayk, Susanne Kilpela, and Catherine Benda -- have been accepted for the North of the 45th Parallel Annual Upper Midwest Juried Art Exhibition at the DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette. An opening reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 3. A talk by exhibition Juror Lisa Stone, curator of the Roger Brown Study Collection at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m., will precede the reception. The exhibit will continue through July 24, 2011.

Gayk, NMU graduate and resident of Marquette and Bete Grise, who is also co-founder of the Keweenaw Raptor Survey, will exhibit some of his oil paintings.

Zach Gayk, artist and birder, enjoys inspiration from his Keweenaw walks. (Photo courtesy Zach Gayk)

"My paintings are inspired by the rugged forest landscapes of the Keweenaw Peninsula and mainland U.P.," Gayk writes in his artist's statement for the exhibit. "Most are largely painted in plein air, onsite at semi-wilderness locations after difficult portages of my easel and supplies into a remote location. When choosing a painting location, I try to find the most pristine sites possible, where the influence of humans on the landscape is minimal. As such, I try to capture the particular feelings evoked by entering a wild place."

Hancock artist Susanne Kilpela, who teaches ceramics, 3-D design, sculpture and drawing in the Michigan Tech Visual and Performing Arts Department, will exhibit three works of sculpture.

"From the Depths," by Susanne Kilpela. Porcelain/terracotta. (Photo courtesy Melissa Matuscak, director and curator, DeVos Art Museum)

In her artist's statement, Kilpela says water provides the inspiration for her sculptures, for which she uses a variety of media but most enjoys working with the sensuous fluidity of clay.

"From a small inland lake in Lower Michigan to the aqua-blue sea of the Caribbean to the rugged shores of Lake Superior, water has and continues to inform the direction of my life and my art," Kilpela writes. "I am interested in what lies beneath the surface of those waters -- the beautiful, organic, and strange sometimes sensuous forms, which are hidden from the casual eye. The evolution of my body of work resembles the ebb and flow of the sea. Every day the tide leaves new forms washed ashore, but these are continually derived from the same origins. This repetitive yet at the same time ever-changing rhythm aptly describes my artwork."

Susanne Kilpela assists students in her ceramics class at Michigan Tech University. (Photo courtesy Susanne Kilpela)

Catherine Benda, who lives in Atlantic Mine, says sky, land and water are a constant theme in her work.

"Over the last 25 years the most profound impact on my art has come from living on a bluff overlooking Lake Superior," she writes. "My interpretation of the lake, bays and rivers that surround me, and the vastness and simplicity of the horizon line has led me to my latest series: Sense of Place. Living in a four season area with the winter months lasting the longest, has deepened my appreciation for the landscape around me."

"Cabin and Kayak," by Catherine Benda. Acrylic. (Photo courtesy Catherine Benda)

Benda says working with diverse media -- including paint, encaustic wax, and pastel -- gives her freedom to express her changing relationship with her environment.

Artist Catherine Benda of Atlantic Mine. (Photo courtesy Catherine Benda)

"While line, form and texture are equally important in my work, it is through color that I release my true nature," Benda adds.

Here is a list of the artists in the exhibition:

Neil Ahrens (Harbor Springs, MI) • Roberta Allen (Minneapolis, MN) • Philip Anderson (Brooklyn Center, MN) • MarilynAnnin (Land O’ Lakes, WI) • Steve Bardolph (Duluth, MN) • Catherine Benda (Atlantic Mine, MI) • Clay Booth (Ishpeming, MI) • Ritch Branstrom (Rapid River, MI) • Gregg Bruff (Munising, MI) • Edwin Carter (Marquette, MI) • Elizabeth Danko (Marquette, MI) • Brent Erickson (Duluth, MN) • Zach Gayk (Marquette, MI) • Paul Goodrich (Marquette, MI) • Carla Holmquist (Taylors Falls, MN) • Andrew Jensen (Marquette, MI) • Susanne Kilpela (Hancock, MI) • Bonnie Kreger (Marquette, MI) • Michael Letts (Negaunee, MI) • David Luke (Minneapolis, MN) • Adam McCauley (Duluth, MN) • Darrin Moir (Marquette, MI) • Tamara Lee Niemi (Ishpeming, MI) • Steven J. Read (Duluth, MN) • Nicole Roberts Hoiland (St. Peter, MN) • Ann Russ (Marquette, MI) • Ellen Fitzgerald Skoro (Minneapolis, MN) • Patty Smith (Interlochen, MI) • Joe Sobel (Iron Mountain, MI) • Hope Thier (Moorhead, MN) • Jeanne Tubman (Sault Ste. Marie, MI) • Steve Wahlstrom (Marquette, MI) • Tracy Wascom (Marquette, MI) • Angela Wesselman-Pierce (Ishpeming, MI).

The DeVos Art Museum, which opened in February 2005, is located at the corner of Tracy and 7th streets on the NMU campus. It is part of the Northern Michigan University School of Art and Design and also serves as a regional art museum for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The museum has been endowed by a grant from the DeVos Foundation of Grand Rapids.

Hours are Monday - Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thursday, 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

For more information visit the DeVos Museum Web site.

Editor's Note: Thanks to Melissa Matuscak, DeVos Museum director and curator, for her assistance with this article.

Premium Seats available for "Rockland" Premiere

HANCOCK -- Pine Mountain Music Festival announces the availability of a limited number of premium seats for the July 15, 2011, premiere of the new opera Rockland at the Rozsa Center in Houghton.

This will be the New World Premiere of an important new work rooted in the history of the Upper Peninsula. It will be a fully-staged opera, sung partly in English and partly in Finnish, with English supertitles above the stage so the audience can follow the action. There is a cast of 42 singers on the stage and an orchestra of 43 musicians in the pit.

Premium seats are available for $125 each. Patrons will have some of the best seats in the house and will be invited to a pre-opera reception at 6 p.m. Friday, July 15, with the composer, Jukka Linkola. Light refreshments will be served with champagne, punch or coffee.

Peter Van Pelt, executive director of the Festival, says, "These premium seats are an opportunity for people to really be part of the action on the opening night of this great new opera. Besides the good seats, the reception and conversation with the composer, they have the satisfaction of supporting a landmark U.P. event."

Other tickets are available at $50, $35 and $20. The same pricing applies for the performance at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 17; but there will be no premium tickets for that performance.

Tickets are available from the Rozsa Center box office, now operating out of Michigan Tech's Student Development Complex at the top of MacInnes Drive in Houghton, or by calling 906-487-3200 or toll-free 877-746-3999.

Among the featured singers in the opera is Paul Truckey of Marquette. Numerous community members will appear in the chorus and the orchestra. More information about the opera Rockland and the rest of the Pine Mountain Music Festival season can be obtained from the Festival office at 906-482-1542. Charter buses are coming to Houghton for the opera from Marquette, Iron Mountain and elsewhere. Visit www.pmmf.org for additional information.

Levin, Stabenow announce seven Michigan programs to receive AmeriCorps support

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow announced on May 26 that seven Michigan organizations will receive support for AmeriCorps projects in communities across the state. More than 500 AmeriCorps members will be able to work on projects ranging from education to environmental maintenance to assistance for the homeless.

"Young people want to serve their communities, their state and the nation, and these AmeriCorps projects will give them resources and opportunities to contribute greatly in Michigan," Levin said. "These projects will put AmeriCorps members to work meeting pressing local needs and strengthening our communities."

Sen. Stabenow added AmeriCorps provides work that benefits many communities and individuals across Michigan.

"These AmeriCorps projects provide a great way to help Michigan communities in need, while also promoting service to our youth," Stabenow said.

The grants are made possible by the 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which greatly expanded the AmeriCorps program. In addition to funding for the projects, AmeriCorps members receive stipends and, upon completion of a year of service, an education grant which can be used for college or for payment of student loan debt.

The federal grants cover part of the costs, while the local organizations also provide funding.

Locally the BHK Child Development Board will receive $586,500 to fund 46 AmeriCorps positions. Members will provide academic support services to high-risk preschool through high school students.

Other groups receiving support for AmeriCorps are the following:

The Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, statewide, will receive $274,721 to fund 23 positions. Members will serve as housing and services liaisons providing outreach and assistance to the homeless.

Huron Pines near Grayling, a not-for-profit conservation organization in Northeast Michigan, will receive $134,192 for 12 positions. AmeriCorps workers will provide conservation efforts and environmental education. Huron Pines works to achieve its mission through projects such as river restoration, watershed management, conservation leadership and land stewardship.

The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan will use $272,307 to fund 20 positions statewide. Members will serve at nonprofit foreclosure prevention agencies.

City Year Detroit will fund 71 positions with their grant of $888,069 for AmeriCorps members to provide small group and one-on-one tutoring to students in grades 3-9 at low performing schools.

The American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids will receive $449,822 for 34 positions. Members will provide disaster training and education to citizens and Red Cross volunteers across Western Michigan.

The Michigan Nonprofit Association will support 300 positions statewide with a grant of $48,000 to help AmeriCorps members provide community service to K-12 schools, community nonprofits and faith-based organizations.

Artis Books and Antiques to host Book Signing May 28

CALUMET -- Artis Books and Antiques in Calumet will host a Book Signing with local artist Gordon Borsvold from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. Refreshments will be served.

"Bring any book. I'll sign it," said Borsvold.

Visitors who forget to bring a book are welcome to purchase one in the store, which specializes in quality used books.

Artis Books and Antiques is located at 429 Fifth Street in historic downtown Calumet.

Portage Library to host Stamp Collecting program May 26

HOUGHTON -- United States Postmaster Mel DeGroot will present "Philately: the Study and Art of Stamp Collecting" from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton.

Participants will learn how to start collecting stamps, understand the differences among various kinds of stamps, know how to safely remove stamps from envelopes, find out ways to preserve a stamp collection, and learn how to judge the condition of a stamp and tell what it is worth. There will be a display of stamps, the different kinds of books that they can be stored in, and other materials needed for successful stamp collecting. Handouts will also be available.

DeGroot is the Postmaster in Iron River, Michigan, and he invites everyone to find out how easy it is to start your own stamp collection without a big investment. His program is geared towards beginner and experienced stamp collectors as well as those who are curious about this fascinating hobby.

Library programs are free and open to all. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

A Stent Event: Michigan Tech students mimic blood flow in the lab

By Marcia Goodrich, senior writer
Published in Michigan Tech News May 25, 2011

HOUGHTON -- If by chance you should have a stent inserted in a clogged coronary artery, you can probably count on it staying around for a very long time. So it’s important to know what will happen to it.

"But there’s not a lot of information on exactly how stents degrade in the body," said Patrick Bowen, who just completed his BS in Materials Science and Engineering at Michigan Technological University. What information there is, on stents and other devices that surgeons place inside us for our own good, has been derived from studies on large animals, which are expensive and time-consuming.

That information may now be more forthcoming. Bowen is part of an interdisciplinary Senior Design team that found a couple of new ways to replicate what happens to stents and other man-made things tucked inside our blood vessels ...

Click here to read the rest of this article in the Michigan Tech News.

Updated: Michigan Tech, local community mourn loss of Business Professor Bob Mark

By Dennis Walikainen, Tech Today senior editor
Published in Tech Today Tuesday, May 24, 2011. Reprinted with permission.

Bob Mark, professor of practice in Michigan Technological University's School of Business and Economics, died Monday, May 23, 2011, after a recent stroke. He was 62 years old.

Bob Mark, Michigan Tech professor in the School of Business and Economics and president of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA). (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

"Bob made teaching and learning fun by presenting concepts in a way that you couldn't forget them," said Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz. "He was a natural with students."

Mark was awarded the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2008, only two years after joining the faculty. He was famous for using magic tricks in his classes and for his involvement with students outside the classroom.

"Bob had a great impact on our School, through his teaching, his work with the Institute for Leadership and Innovation and his direct involvement with students with dreams of being entrepreneurs," said Darrell Radson, dean of the School of Business and Economics.

Mark was the driving force behind the Elevator Pitch Competition and the Business Plan Competition, both of which challenged students to present their best ideas for new, real businesses to a panel of judges. In fact, Mark had just announced the merger of the Business Plan Competition with Central Michigan University for next year, greatly increasing its prize monies and stature. He was also instrumental in bringing the Extreme Entrepreneur Tour to the Michigan Tech campus.

"Incredible teacher, respected colleague and generous person," is how Mari Buche, associate professor in the School of Business and Economics, will remember Mark. "He was such a force. Everything he was involved in, he gave 100 percent. He could take a good idea and turn it into an experience."

Mark’s specialties also included commercializing University research projects, and he had presented continuing education business seminars to engineers. He even worked on commercializing a Senior Design project, an improved hospital bed mattress, with which his son, Larry, was involved.

Locally, he was president of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA).

"Bob Mark had been a pillar in promoting entrepreneurship at Michigan Tech and in the business community," said Carlton Carothers, CEO of the Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation SmartZone. "I can’t think of anyone else with such 'can-do' and 'get-it-done' attitude. Our community has lost a strong advocate of business and entrepreneurship. We will also miss his uncanny humor."

Jonathan Leinonen, also with the SmartZone, agreed.

"Bob was an exemplar for entrepreneurs, role model for students and a leader in the community," he said. "Bob was a great inspiration to me personally, and I learned a lot from him through his tireless efforts to help students start businesses, to find funding for projects and to start the new Entrepreneurship Experiences capstone course. But what I really admire about Bob was that he had a heart for students: whether that was celebrating someone's birthday with ice cream cones, cheering them on at athletic events, helping them move into the dorms, or in one case I know of, carrying furniture out of a second-story apartment after graduating and landing a new job. Bob will be sorely missed by everyone who got to know him."*

"Mark also developed the Introduction to Business course, an important part of our undergraduate curriculum," Radson added. "He will be greatly missed. Please keep his wife, Nancy, daughter, Jacqualine, and sons, Phil and Larry, in your thoughts and prayers."

Funeral arrangements are pending.

*Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now wishes to express our deepest sympathy to the family of Bob Mark. We remember him as the lively announcer at the Cardboard Boat races in Houghton -- one of our favorite community events.

Update: Phil Musser, KEDA executive director, sent Keweenaw Now this comment about Bob Mark: "Bob was the KEDA President and an important economic development partner in helping local entrepreneurs turn their dreams into viable companies. He was always looking for opportunities to create value in the community. His experience in creating, owning and growing his own companies using common sense approaches were ones he readily shared with student and community entrepreneurs."

Hancock Council to consider Fair Board request for fence removal at May 25 meeting

By Michele Bourdieu

A request by the Houghton County Fair Board for removal of the ivy-covered fence at left, near Hancock's Driving Park ball fields, in order to expand this space for the Houghton County Fair midway, will be discussed and possibly voted on during the Hancock City Council's Special Meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 25. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- The Houghton County Fair Association Board would like to remove the large, ivy-covered exterior fence on the east side of the southern-most Hancock baseball field (in the Driving Park) in order to increase the size of the Fair midway and to shift the location of the amusement rides farther south for safety reasons.

Removal of the fence (visible in the background here) would allow County Fair rides to be shifted farther south and away from the horse barn and arena. The Fair Board has received complaints about the proximity of the rides to the equine exhibits (which are not far from where this photo was taken). Click on photos for larger versions. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

This issue will be discussed at a special meeting of the Hancock City Council at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25. The meeting, which is also a scheduled City Council budget work session, is open to the public and to public comments.*

County Fair Board Association Board members Richard Freeman, president, and Steve Palosaari, Treasurer, made a presentation at the regular Hancock City Council meeting last Wednesday, May 18, concerning four requests from the Fair Board to the City. Request No. 2 -- removal of the fence -- was the only one not approved by the Council on May 18. Three of the Fair Board requests were approved as follows:

Request 1: Removal and burial of the overhead electric wires running north of the Hockey arena to the Maasto Hiihto Chalet and west to the end of the baseball field. The $10,000-plus cost to have UPPCO remove and bury the wires underground is to be paid by the Fair Association. This will provide a safer environment for the amusement rides.

On May 18, the City Council approved removing and burying the overhead electric wires, visible here at left, above the ivy-covered fence that is still a point of discussion. The poles with lights on them would remain. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Request 3: Install underground water and electrical lines along the North end of the first baseball field for various vendors. The benefit will be additional space for vendors and fair volunteers and will provide the use of these services for other events, such as the Frisbee tournament.

Request 4: Installation of a 16- to 20-foot gate on the west side of the baseball fields. A second exit is needed in emergency preparedness plans to allow safe exit of Fair visitors in case the eastern exit becomes impassable.

According to Hancock City Clerk Karen Haischer, "There's no cost to the City (for any of these changes)."

Freeman confirmed the Fair Board would cover the costs.

"All this is being done at our expense, and it'll be professionally done by contractors," he said.

Freeman said removal of the fence according to Request No. 2 would open up the midway area by making it possible to move the vendors back.

"What we're finding, as more people attend the Fair, is that it's becoming congested in the midway, especially Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon for the main events," Freeman explained.

This photo shows a large crowd gathered for one of the main events in the "bowl." Fair Board members believe removal of the fence in the background would make more room in the midway, especially at peak crowd times. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

He noted the expansion of the midway would also provide the area with extra parking space for sports events that attract large crowds and, in winter, more room to push the snow back.

"We estimate 5000-6000 people in close proximity in the midway and the bowl (spectator area for main outdoor Fair events)," Freeman added.

While some of the Fair area is Houghton County property, the City of Hancock owns the property where the fence is located.

"We're allowed complete control of our Fair area during the event," Freeman said. "We rent the Arena from the Arena Board, and the City allows us use of the rest of the grounds."

Freeman said the Fair Board has been talking to City Manager Glenn Anderson for several months about these issues, but the May 18 meeting was the first opportunity their schedules allowed them to present it to the City Council.

City Councilor John Slivon, who represents Ward III, including the park and Fair area -- while he was not opposed to the three requests approved by the Council (burial of electric wires, installation of underground water and electric lines and installation of a second exit gate) -- expressed concern about the timing of the Fair Board's request for the fence removal, with so little time for the Council to consider it.

City Councilor John Slivon rides his bike along the ivy-covered fence that separates the Hancock ball fields from area used for the County Fair midway. Slivon measured the height of the fence to be 88 inches (about seven feet) and estimated its length to be about 300 feet. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

"It (the fence) belongs to the citizens of Hancock," Slivon said. "Down the road, if the City Council finds they made a mistake by letting the Fair Board take it down, the City's not going to be able to afford to replace it."

Slivon noted gates in the fence were not closed as they used to be when he first moved to Hancock several years ago.

Despite a sign saying "No dogs, No bikes," this gate in the tall fence allows entry for both, affording no protection to the ball fields, which are surrounded by a smaller fence with open gates. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

"The fence, if its gates were closed, might reduce dogs' access to the ball field. People are saying that's a problem," he said.

Despite Hancock's recent ordinance requiring people to clean up after their dogs in the City of Hancock or pay a fine of up to $100, evidence that they are not doing so is apparent, even on sidewalks downtown. While there is a second fence around the ball fields, the gates are left open.**

This gate on the inside fence around the ball fields has been left open. Residents are expected to obey the "No Dogs" sign. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Slivon, who is a member of the City of Hancock Recreation Commission, said the Recreation Commission was opposed to removal of the fence.


This gate in the tall fence is locked to keep out vehicle traffic. Should the fence be removed, the area next to the ball fields would be vulnerable to vehicle entry and, in fact, might be used for parking for future sports events. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

City Councilor John Haeussler, also noted the Recreation Commission (of which he is a member) recommended to the Council that the request to remove the fence be denied. Haeussler was opposed to removal of the fence for several reasons, which he explained in an email to Keweenaw Now.

"As a parent I appreciate the safety provided by the exterior fence at the Driving Park," he writes. "It allows families to be at the park and separated from vehicle traffic. It also provides an additional barrier to unwanted vehicle traffic (autos, ATVs, etc.) on the playing fields."

City Councilor John Haeussler notes the tall fence serves as a barrier to protect families at the ball park and to keep vehicles off the playing fields. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

The Fair Board's request says, "The bleacher area around the baseball field would remain in grass and individual poles or ground barriers could be used to maintain as a non-auto parking area. Trees and shrubs could be planted to promote our goal to make our complete grounds more like a park area."

Haeussler said he agreed that removal of the fence would benefit the Fair by increasing their available midway space.

"As a Council member I wish to assist the Fair Board, but I cannot support their request to remove the fence without first receiving feedback from other users of the Driving Park," Haeussler said. "I invite all members of our community to share their thoughts with a Council member or at the next Council meeting on Wednesday, May 25, at 6 p.m. We intend to make a decision on this issue that evening."

Haeussler noted also that the written request by the Fair Board states, "The current baseball field would be secured with additional fence, individual poles and gates."

Haeussler added, "I hope to learn more details about this at the upcoming meeting.* It may provide a compromise that will be favorable to all parties."

Editor's Notes:

* Click here for the agenda of the May 25 Special Meeting and Budget Work Session.

** Click here for City of Hancock Ordinance 91.06, "Dog restraint and cleanliness" and click here for Ordinance 91.99 under (D) for the penalty for violation.

Benishek Rep. to hold town hall at Portage Library May 25

HOUGHTON -- A Representative from United States Congressman Dan Benishek’s office will be at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton from Noon to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, for a town hall meeting.

Residents who have questions, concerns, or problems with any Federal Agency are welcome to meet with the Representative. Only Federal issues will be addressed.

For more information, please call the Iron Mountain field office at 906-828-1581.

Michigan residents to board "Bus for Clean Air" to testify at EPA hearing in Chicago

EAST LANSING -- Residents from across Michigan will get on the "Bus for Clean Air" and head to Chicago on Tuesday, May 24, to voice their support for the first national air quality standards to protect people against mercury, arsenic and lead. Concerned citizens will testify at a public hearing held by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on mercury and air toxics standards that were proposed in March.

The "Bus for Clean Air" will pick up riders in East Lansing, Kalamazoo and Benton Harbor before heading to Chicago. Shuttles will also bring residents from Muskegon,
Holland and Grand Rapids to meet up with the bus in Benton Harbor. You can follow @Bus4CleanAir on Twitter.

BUS PICK-UP LOCATIONS: Tuesday, May 24

Stop 1: East Lansing
Clean Water Action, 1200 Michigan Ave.
Bus departs at 8 a.m. and will return around 11 p.m.

Stop 2: Kalamazoo
Meijer parking lot at Westnedge and Kilgore
Bus departs at 9:30 a.m. and will return around 9:30 p.m.

Stop 3: Benton Harbor
Wendy’s Restaurant, 1860 East Napier Ave.
Bus departs at 10:30 a.m. and will return around 8:30 p.m.

SHUTTLES TO BENTON HARBOR:

Muskegon: Harvey and Hille Park and Ride
Shuttle departs at 8:30 a.m. and will return around 10:30 p.m.

Holland: Meijer store at 16th Street and Waverly
Shuttle departs at 9:30 a.m. and will return around 9:30 p.m.

Grand Rapids: Park and Ride at East Beltline and I-96
Carpool will leave at 8:30 a.m. and will return around 10:15 p.m.

Photos (updated): Keweenaw Bike to Work Day 2011

HANCOCK, HOUGHTON, CALUMET -- Keweenaw Bike to Work Day -- Friday, May 20, 2011 -- turned out to be warm and sunny. Keweenaw Now and guest photographer Crissy Gerhart of Calumet took these photos of participants and volunteers at the bike stations in Hancock, Calumet and Houghton.

Hancock ...

Hancock City Councilor John Slivon, left, and his wife, Ann Pace, who both helped coordinate the first Hancock Bike to Work Day in 2010, volunteered again this year at the Hancock bike station. Bikers register, receive a free water bottle, fresh fruit and home-made snacks. (Photos by Keweenaw Now unless otherwise indicated)

Dean Woodbeck of Keweenaw Trails, which promotes silent sports in the Keweenaw, stops to chat with Ann Pace at the Bike to Work station in Hancock Friday morning, May 20, 2011. Woodbeck helped organize the Houghton Bike to Work Day, which began in 2009.

Bicycle commuters register and receive their souvenir water bottle at the bike station in Hancock.

A cyclist stops at the healthy snack table in Hancock for some quick energy on his way to work last Friday morning, Bike to Work Day, May 20, 2011. At left on the table are Ann Pace's home-made snacks along with fresh fruit and water. Coffee was donated by the Keweenaw Co-op.

Calumet ...

Lorri Oikarinen is pictured here at the Calumet High School Bike to Work station Friday morning, May 20, 2011. Oikarinen is co-owner with her husband, Rick Oikarinen, of Cross Country Sports in Calumet, one of the sponsors of Bike to Work. "(Lorri) came at 7 a.m. and brought the food, coffee, and free material to hand out," said Crissy Gerhart. "Then she drove her car home and then biked to work!" (Calumet photos © 2011 and courtesy Crissy Gerhart)

Biking commuters register at the Calumet bike station and enjoy snacks and drinks. Coffee was donated by the Fifth and Elm Coffee House.

A large banner attracts cyclists to the Bike to Work station in Calumet on Friday morning, May 20, 2011.

HOUGHTON ...

Father and son -- Kris Mattila, right, and Dane Mattila of Hubbell -- biked to work and to the Michigan Tech campus, respectively, Friday morning. Here they stop to visit with Bike to Work volunteer Bob Drake of Houghton on their way home -- a second 12-mile trip -- Friday afternoon. This was Houghton's third year participating in National Bike to Work Day. (Houghton photos by Keweenaw Now)

Volunteer Bob Drake checks Rita Lederle's bike for safety. The safety check at the bike stations included brakes, steering and reflectors. Lederle, center, who biked from Hancock to Houghton, is pictured with Chris DeDene of Houghton. Both are Michigan Tech students.

David Clark, left, Michigan Tech graduate student in math, joins Rita and Chris for a snack at the registration table. Baked goods were from Victoria's Kitchen in Houghton.

Meghan Stan, Michigan Tech ecology student, biked from Calumet Waterworks to Houghton Friday (about 14 miles one way). She stopped here at the Bike to Work station near the Houghton waterfront path Friday afternoon.

Alex Hirzel, originally from L'Anse, said he biked from Hancock to Houghton every day last week, including Friday. He is an undergraduate student in electrical engineering at Michigan Tech.

Lakshmi Krishna of Hyderabad, India, was trying out a new road bike in downtown Houghton Friday afternoon. She normally rides a mountain bike and has even biked from Houghton to Marquette. Krishna just completed her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Michigan Tech and is now doing a post-doc.

For more information about Keweenaw Bike to Work Day and a list of local sponsors of the event, visit their Web site.

To learn about biking in the City of Houghton, see the City's 2007 Bicycle Plan.

Deadline for Youth Conservation Corps applications is Monday, May 23

CALUMET -- Area young people will share in a summer work opportunity offered through the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program, administered by the National Park Service at Keweenaw National Historical Park in Calumet. Applications, which have been distributed to area high schools for students between the ages of 15 and 18 interested in applying for the YCC program, are due by 5 p.m. Monday, May 23. There are no income restrictions for the YCC program.

The Youth Conservation Corps, a nationwide federal program for young people, administered by the National Park Service, provides opportunities to contribute to the conservation of our national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges through a combined work and environmental/cultural education program.

The young people will work with National Park Service professionals on conservation and cultural heritage related projects such as trail and roadside maintenance, museum collections, vegetation removal, historic stone ruin stabilization, painting, and other facility repair and clean-up projects.

The Keweenaw National Historical Park YCC program will run eight weeks, from June 13 to August 5, 2011. YCC enrollees will work a 40-hour week and receive $7.40 per hour. Three to five positions are expected to be filled and are selected from among all area youth submitting applications to the Keweenaw National Historical Park headquarters in Calumet.

Selections of YCC enrollees are made by random drawing by Human Resources personnel. The drawing and notification of selected employees will take place during the week of May 23, 2011. The names of five alternates will also be drawn for the program, and will be used to fill positions if any of the original selected YCC enrollees decline a position.

Questions about the YCC work program may be directed to Keweenaw National Historical Park YCC program director at (906) 483-3034. Applications must be received by the 5 p.m. May 23, 2011, deadline at: Keweenaw National Historical Park, 25970 Red Jacket Road, Calumet, MI 49913.