NOSOTROS to host cultural presentation, Halloween Latin Dance Party

NOSOTROS invites the public to a Halloween Latin Dance Party beginning with salsa lessons at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. (Poster courtesy NOSOTROS)

HOUGHTON -- The NOSOTROS student organization at Michigan Tech will host two free events this week -- a cultural presentation and a Halloween Latin Dance Party.

The fourth presentation of the series "A Door to Latin culture," will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in Fisher 138 on the Michigan Tech campus. Rudiger Escobar Wolf will talk about his country, Guatemala. Pizza and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. This event is supported by the Parents' Fund of the Michigan Tech Fund.

NOSOTROS invites the public to a free, family friendly Halloween Party with Latin dancing on Friday evening, Oct. 28, in Memorial Union Ballroom A. The event begins at 8 p.m. with a salsa class and continues at 9 p.m. with open floor. Wear your scary costumes! Light snacks and soft drinks will be provided. The party is sponsored by Graduate Student Government (GSG) and Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

Michigamme Moonshine Gallery to feature work by local artists Oct. 24 - Nov. 29

"The Heron Flight," by Sandra Palmore. (Photo courtesy Michigamme Moonshine Art Gallery)

MICHIGAMME --The Michigamme Moonshine Art Gallery will present "Copper Country Express," featuring work by several local artists, from Oct. 24 through Nov. 29, 2011.

The exhibit will include original art by Lynn Anderson, MaryAnn Beckwith, Cynthia Coté, Ed Gray, Margo McCafferty and and Tom Rudd, Jack Oyler, and Sandra Palmore .

The public is invited to a reception for the artists from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Gallery, located at 136 E. Main in Michigamme. Refreshments will be served.

The U.P.’s "Copper Country" attracts people from all walks of life including a diverse and vibrant community of artists. The relative isolation of the Keweenaw Peninsula provides an opportunity for artists to reflect on nature away from the usual distractions of the 21st century. This remoteness is both a boon and bane for artists who want to show their work to a wider audience. Michigamme Moonshine Art Gallery is bridging that gap by showcasing an invited group of eight talented people in their Marquette County venue for a one-month show.

Lynn Anderson works in fiber arts because she enjoys the "doing" as much as the final result. She likes people to respond to her delicate and carefully produced creations.

Mary Ann Beckwith is a widely known watercolorist who relies on primary colors in her paintings. Her work is mostly abstracts with imbedded meanings.

Cynthia Coté is the director of the Copper Country Community Arts Center in Hancock. Her recent work consists of carefully selected, sorted, and folded paper arranged in thoughtful ways to share a narrative experience with the viewer.

Ed Gray has been deeply involved in the artist community in many places for over fifty years. He has rediscovered and revived traditional pottery making techniques used thousands of years ago by the Upper Peninsula’s "first people." Hand coiled clay is carved with plant and animal figures and fired in earth pits. Native copper in the soil seeps into the clay body to produce a variety of natural colors.

Margo McCaffery and Tom Rudd collaborate in a variety of media that includes the very demanding art of linocut printing with multiple layers of ink to create rich textural surfaces. McCafferty also paints nature and still-lifes in the exacting trompe l’oeil style.

Jack Oyler creates scenes from a pallet of wood pieces carefully formed and colored to produce raised images that convey humorous narratives. Frames provide a context that are an integral part of each piece.

Sandra Palmore has been creating pastels inspired by nature for over ten years. Her whimsical images invite the viewer to see things in a "slightly different way."

Talent, care and devotion are on display in this special exhibit. It is an opportunity to discover fresh new ideas from a dynamic corner of the Upper Peninsula.

Dave Dempsey to speak on Great Lakes policy Oct . 25 at Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON -- Dave Dempsey, policy advisor to the International Joint Commission, will present "New Directions on Great Lakes Water Resources Policy" at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25, in M and M U115 on the Michigan Tech University campus. A reception will follow in the Dow eighth floor Atrium. The public is welcome.

The seminar is co-sponsored by the Environmental Energy Policy Graduate Program in the Department of Social Sciences and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

FOLK to announce new project at Annual Meeting Oct. 25

BARAGA -- Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK) will hold their Annual Meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the Ojibwa Senior Citizen Center in Baraga.*

The meeting will inaugurate a new chapter in FOLK’s efforts to protect and preserve the ecological integrity of the Lake Superior Watershed. It will also include a presentation by visiting Wisconsin activist Frank Koehn of the Penokee Hills Education Project.

During the 2011 Protect the Earth Great Lakes Community Gathering last August near Champion, Mich., Frank Koehn, an active member of the Wisconsin Green Party and a leader of the Penokee Hills Education Project, speaks about taconite iron ore mining in the Penokee Hills. Koehn will be the guest speaker at the Oct. 25th Annual Meeting of FOLK (Friends of the Land of Keweenaw). (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Following a brief business meeting FOLK members will present their new initiative:
FOLK Mining Education and Empowerment Project: Assessing the risks and benefits of new mining in the western Upper Peninsula.

Guest speaker Frank Koehn, northern Wisconsin activist and politician, will present Old and New Mining in the Lake Superior Basin: Time for a Unified Regional Response.

Koehn has been active in environmental, treaty rights and human rights causes -- including opposition to the Crandon and White Pine mines, support of Ojibwa treaty rights, and support for the proposed Seventh-Generation Amendment to the US Constitution. He was the first Green Party member in the U.S. to be elected to a public office: the Bayfield County Board of Supervisors. He continues to be active in the Wisconsin Green Party, which he helped to create. Koehn is currently one of the leaders of the Penokee Hills Education Project, which is resisting the mining of taconite iron ore in the Penokee Hills. He lives in Herbster, Wisconsin.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

* To get to the Ojibwa Senior Center, going south from Houghton, turn right on M-38 in Baraga. Cross the railroad tracks and take a right on Main Street. Follow Main Street a half mile. The Ojibwa Senior Center will be on your left.

Author Ellen Airgood discusses her novel at Calumet Public Library

Author Ellen Airgood speaks about her novel, South of Superior, during a presentation at the Calumet Public Library in September. (Photos © 2011 and courtesy Katie Alvord)

Story and photos by Katie Alvord*

CALUMET -- About forty people at the Calumet Public Library gave U.P. author Ellen Airgood a warm reception last month as she talked about her debut novel, South of Superior, released earlier this year by Riverhead Press.

Set in a small U.P. tourist town resembling Grand Marais -- where Airgood and her husband own the West Bay Diner -- South of Superior centers around a woman who moves up to the fictitious hamlet of McAllaster from Chicago. The novel unfolds as her life becomes more intertwined with others in the community.

"The story is fictional," Airgood said, "but I really hope it's true."

Fans of the book have already commented to her about the realism of her characters.

"People say, 'These characters are so real, how do you do that?' and I don't know," Airgood said. But she added that her work at the diner probably helps.

"From the first of May to the end of October, it's all diner, all the time," she noted, which leaves her little time to write. Yet she thinks her stories and characters "marinate" as she washes dishes and waits tables. "I deal with people all day, every day," she said. "As I do, the characters are all kind of in my head. They're just always with me. They all become very, very real to me as I try to pay attention to what people are really doing."

Author Ellen Airgood discusses the writing and publishing of her first novel, South of Superior, during her September presentation at the Calumet Public Library.

According to Airgood, her publisher considered this a book about community, but she didn't see quite so clearly that it was about community.

"I think I saw it somewhat, but not totally," Airgood noted. "As a writer, sometimes you yourself don't have as much perspective on what you're writing."

Some distant readers have told Airgood they didn't know towns like McAllaster still existed.

"That's not the way of the world anymore," she told her Calumet audience as she talked about places like her fictitious town, or like Grand Marais. While some express nostalgia for small towns, Airgood noted that living in one can have two sides.

"It's not all beer and skittles," she said. "It's very good but it's very hard. People can be nasty but at the same time people will help people they don't like. No one leaves anyone out in the cold."

Lake Superior is as much a character in the book, Airgood said, as the people of McAllaster.

"I wanted to write about the kind of people Superior creates," she recounted. "It's the spirit of the characters I'm trying to get across."

Describing herself as stubborn, the author said her stubborn nature kept her going through the 18 years of serious writing and rejection letters that finally led to publication of her first book. She has wanted to be a writer since age ten, when she was growing up on a farm in Michigan's thumb. Airgood started writing professionally shortly after moving up to the U.P.

Ellen Airgood signs copies of her novel, South of Superior, after her presentation in the Calumet Public Library in September.

After penning several young adult manuscripts and publishing some essays, she turned to writing a novel for adults. It took her seven years to finish South of Superior. Along the way she hired a freelance editor to help revise the book, and she worked with a London literary agent to revise it further.

While at times she despaired over the book, Airgood noted, her determination paid off when the final version of South of Superior got a nod from Riverhead Press. After the boutique literary division of Penguin released Airgood's novel in May, she and her husband threw a book launch party in Grand Marais that attracted around 200 people.

It's all been a huge boost for Airgood's writing career. One of her young adult novels, Prairie Evers, will be released through Penguin's Young Reader's Group (Nancy Paulsen Books) in May of 2012.

She has also started work on another novel for adults -- this one set in the Keweenaw.

"I'd like to set the book where there's a strong sense of culture," Airgood said, commenting that she senses that here in the Keweenaw region. "A sense of place is very important to me, not only in life but also in writing."

Keweenaw resident Joanne Thomas, who read South of Superior and attended Airgood's presentation, commented on Airgood's ability to capture the local culture in the details of her story.

"Ellen possesses a keen eye in observing the flavor of the personality we call 'yooper,'" Thomas said. "The smallest details of life, person and surroundings were noted in this book. "That made me grin in recognition of our particular culture. Her portrayals of the characters present to the reader the multi-faceted dramas in seemingly ordinary or mundane lives. Yes, everyone has a story, and she knows how to tell it."

Airgood's presentation was organized by Grandpa's Barn Bookstore and the Friends of the Calumet Public Library. South of Superior is for sale at Grandpa's Barn in Copper Harbor, as well as at other local bookstores. Read more about Ellen Airgood on her web site.

* Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now guest writer Katie Alvord is the author of Divorce Your Car and several articles on Keweenaw Now, including three prize-winning articles on climate change in the Lake Superior Basin. Click here to read about her journalism award and links to these articles, which were published on Keweenaw Now in 2007.

Khana Khazana to present Finnish cuisine Oct. 21

HOUGHTON -- This week's Khana Khazana (food treasure) will introduce Finnish cuisine by Heidi Jarvikyla, an exchange student studying English. The Finnish lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the Michigan Tech Memorial Union Food Court.

The menu will include karjalanpaisti ja perunamuusi (a traditional Finnish stew with beef, pork and carrots served with mashed potatoes), kaalikääryleet (oven-baked rolls with meat, rice and spices) and marjakiisseli (a thick dessert soup with berries and whipped cream).

A full meal costs $6, and each dish is available a la carte for $2. A free fountain soda, tea or coffee comes with a full meal.

This weekly ethnic lunch is a collaboration of international students and Michigan Tech Dining Services.

Spirit of Harvest Speakers' Forum, Powwow to be Oct. 21-22 at Michigan Tech

Lowery Begay performs a hoop dance with 15 hoops during the 2007 Spirit of the Harvest Speakers' Forum in the Rozsa Center. The Four Thunders Drum accompanies, at left. Begay, an inspirational speaker and renowned Navajo hoop dancer, returns to Michigan Tech this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22, for the Spirit of the Harvest Speakers' Forum and Powwow. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech's American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Native American Student Association will host two events this weekend. On Friday, Oct. 21, a Speakers' Forum will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in the Douglass Houghton Hall Ballroom on the Michigan Tech campus. The Spirit of the Harvest Powwow will follow on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Student Development Complex (SDC) MultiPurpose Room. Grand Entry starts at 1 p.m. and at 7 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public.

The Speakers' Forum on Friday will include an opening ceremony with a drum group, information about Michigan Tech, a tour of campus laboratories, and, at 1 p.m. in Douglass Houghton Hall, a presentation by Lowery Begay, motivational speaker and Navajo hoop dancer.

Special Presentations during the Powwow include the following:

Hoop Dance by Lowery Begay -- 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Honor Song for Army SPC Robert L. Voakes, Jr. -- 3 p.m.
Pink Shawl Presentation -- 4:30 p.m.
Feast for Dancers/Drummers 5:30 p.m.

The Powwow ends at 8 p.m.

Click here to learn more about Native American programs at Michigan Tech.

Click here to see more photos of Lowery Begay's 2007 performance at Michigan Tech.

Northern Michigan University to host Native American film, poetry, music Oct. 19

MARQUETTE -- Northern Michigan University Center for Native American Studies will host a free showing of the film Remembering the Songs at 7:30 p.m., TONIGHT, Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Jamrich Hall room 102. The film showing will be followed by a poetry and musical performance by visitors from Salish Kootenai College’s (Pablo, Mont.) Center for American Indian Policy and Applied Research (CAIPAR).

The visiting team is taking part in the "Crossing Borders with HeartLines" project, which is sponsored by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and involves creating, publishing and distributing K-12 Native American tribal history education materials that adhere to Native standards and protocols.

The visitors include renowned Native flute players, singers and recording artists Fernando Cellicion-Zuni, Gary Stroutsos and Paul Thompson-Diné, as well as federal Indian law expert Daniel Decker; Salish poet, journalist and author Jennifer Greene, whose book of poetry What I Keep received the 1988 North American Native Authors Poetry Award; and Milken National Educator Award recipient Julie Cajune, who helped to found the CAIPAR. Cajune was selected for the 2011 Montana Governor’s Humanities Award and was named one of "50 visionaries changing your world" by the Utne Reader in 2009.

Grand Traverse Tribal Chairman Derek Bailey to run for First District Congressional seat

TRAVERSE CITY -- Calling for an end to the gridlock that has gripped Washington, Derek Bailey, Tribal Chairman for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, recently declared his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan’s First District.

Derek Bailey, Tribal Chairman for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, recently announced he will run as a Democrat for the First Congressional District of Michigan -- the seat now held by Republican Congressman Dan Benishek. (Photo courtesy Derek Bailey for Congress)

Bailey will run as a Democrat -- joining Democrat Gary McDowell, who announced his candidacy in mid-September -- in the Democratic primary. The winner of that primary would challenge Republican Congressman Dan Benishek, one-term incumbent, who defeated McDowell by a small margin in 2010.

"In Congress we need vibrant, creative and strong leadership in advancing the needs of the citizens in northern Michigan," said Bailey. "We need to look at reigning in spending and reducing the nation’s overwhelming pile of debt. We need to look at sensible tax policies that are balanced, fair and responsible, and that address needs of working people and not energy companies, which have seen record profits."

Bailey noted he would work with both parties to solve problems if elected.

"I am running to truly represent the citizenship in District One in word and in deed, to make sure our voice is heard," Bailey said. "Now is the time to promote respect and dignity for every citizen in our district. I'm dedicated to working collaboratively in Washington for the betterment of our citizenship and national economy."

Bailey said he would work to protect the Great Lakes environment. He has been an outspoken tribal and community leader on Asian carp and other invasive species.

"Protection of our greatest natural resource must be shown through a commitment driven by knowledge, understanding and spirit. I will bring that strong northern Michigan voice to the halls of Congress," he said.

Bailey said he would work to strengthen education, and he currently serves on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education -- an appointment made in November 2010 by President Obama. He said he would be a fierce advocate for early childhood education and meeting the needs of rural families.

"Our children, our future leaders, not only need but demand that we find educational opportunities and funding that will secure their success in the future," Bailey said.

He added, "We need to build bridges between our citizens. Working together respectfully -- rolling up our sleeves and getting the work of the people accomplished -- is the basic expectation for our representatives. I pledge, and stand by my past work efforts, that I will bring this perspective to Congress, and, simply, get work done.

"We are all in this together," Bailey said. "We need jobs and we need stability in our economy. Our elected leaders need to start rowing the boat and stop rocking it."

Michigan's First Congressional District has been redrawn for the 2012 election cycle. It now includes the entire Upper Peninsula and portions of the northwest Lower Peninsula, including several counties currently not in the First District.

"It’s time for true leadership in Washington to work together to address the challenges before us," Bailey said. "Let's build the bridges that cross our differences and create a stronger nation for all, just as the founding fathers envisioned. The time is now: our nation's future depends on us."

Bailey was elected to tribal council in 2004 and served until 2008, when he was elected tribal chairman.

For more information, visit Derek Bailey's Web site or email info@derekbaileyforcongress.com.

New "Green Fire" film on Aldo Leopold to be shown Oct. 20

HOUGHTON -- Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for our Time will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in G002 Hesterberg Hall and Atrium, Michigan Tech Forestry Building.

The film will be followed by refreshments and discussion with Dr. Stan Temple, a distinguished ecologist and fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This is the first Copper Country showing of this new documentary film. Free admission; $3 suggested donation.

The first full-length documentary film ever made about legendary environmentalist Aldo Leopold, Green Fire highlights Leopold’s extraordinary career, tracing how he shaped and influenced the modern environmental movement. Leopold remains relevant today, inspiring projects all over the country that connect people and land.

Green Fire describes the formation of Leopold’s conservation ethic, exploring how it changed one man and later permeated through all arenas of conservation. The film draws on Leopold’s life and experiences to provide context and validity, then explores the deep impact of his thinking on conservation projects around the world today. Through these examples, the film challenges viewers to contemplate their own relationship with the land community.

The high-definition film utilizes photographs, correspondence, manuscripts and other archival documents from the voluminous Aldo Leopold Archives as well as historical film and contemporary full-color footage on location, including landscapes that influenced Leopold and that he in turn influenced.

The film also features commentary and insight from some of today’s most recognized and credible scholars and conservation leaders, including three of Aldo Leopold’s children -- Nina, Carl, and Estella -- Leopold scholars, noted environmental writers, scientists, humanities experts, public policy leaders, business leaders, and leaders of non-profit groups inspired by Leopold.

Read more: http://www.greenfiremovie.com/

This event is sponsored by the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Keweenaw Land Trust and the Keweenaw Unitarian Fellowship.

For more information, contact David Flaspohler in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences at Michigan Tech (906-487-3608 or djflaspo@mtu.edu) or Joan Chadde with the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (at jchadde@mtu.edu or 487-3341.)

Keweenaw Krayons offers new classes, Open Studio

MOHAWK -- Keweenaw Krayons will be offering several new classes / workshops this month. You can now register for these classes online by visiting the Keweenaw Krayons calendar page and clicking on the class that interests you. (See below)*

Qigong

This class begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18! Darlene Basto teaches this four-part class to introduce students to the ancient art of Qigong. This class series offers simple movements, self-massage, breathing and meditation techniques to assist you in becoming and staying healthier and minimizing stress. Research shows many diseases are stress-based, or are augmented by stress-filled lives. This method teaches "profoundly simple" tools to better manage those moments to boost your immune system.*

Mosaics

Rachel Tober teaches a two-part Mosaics Class from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19, and Friday, Oct. 21. Students will learn how to design a mosaic, cut glass and ceramic pieces, and grout an object of their choice (optional). Cost is $30, which includes tools and supplies. No experience necessary. Materials provided: Cutting and nipping tools, glue, stained glass, tiles or glass backing. You also have the option to bring stools, tables, a window or frame you would like to use in the piece. There are still spots available. Register online* or call 934 - 3824 for more details.

Realistic Crayon Drawing

The first class in Realistic Crayon Drawing will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 21. Diana Langdon teaches this four-part series, in which participants learn techniques to produce amazing crayon drawings. The series will cover sketching, shading, burnishing, color layering, finishing and more. Class fee covers all materials. Participants will receive crayons, sharpeners, bristle brush, and Stonehenge paper. Workshops will culminate in one finished work by each participant being matted, framed, and included in a Keweenaw Krayons exhibit. Cost for the class is $20. Register online* or call 934 - 3824 for more details.

Solo Voice Workshop

Each workshop participant will learn breathing techniques, phrasing and more, using a song chosen at the first workshop. Students will improve confidence and vocal delivery through practice and performance at each session, to culminate in a final public recital at Keweenaw Krayons. The four-session workshop will held from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, beginning Oct. 22. Call 934 - 3824 to find out if registration for this workshop is still open.

Free Open Studio and Free Guitar Lessons

Come to Keweenaw Krayons' Open Studio from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 20, and from 12 noon to 2 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 22, to make whatever you want! Selected supplies and materials will be available -- including paper and paint, crayons, markers, colored pencils, in addition to classic craft materials like cards and magazines, paper towel rolls and milk jugs. If you can dream it, you can make it. Open Studio is free through December; donations are welcome.

Also on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, free group guitar lessons are being offered for youth 14 and under, courtesy of the Dan Schmitt Gift of Music Fund. Keweenaw Krayons also has several small guitars for little hands to lend for the duration of the 2011-2012 school year. Lessons are free through December. Call Elise at 934 - 3824 for more details.

*Click here to register online for any of these classes or call 934 - 3824 for more details.

Opinion: Elected officials ignore potential health threats, cleanup costs from mining

By Margaret Comfort*

Recently, I received a tear-off flyer from a Michigan legislator, requesting that I "check off the issues that interest you": a. Social Security, b. Tax Reform, c. Second Amendment, d. Medicare, e. Economy and Jobs, f. Border Security.

My number one choice, "Environment and Clean Water," was not on his list.

If we do not include "Environment and Clean Water" in the top six, we will make little progress on "Economy and Jobs," "Social Security," and "Medicare." I question the wisdom of our current elected public servants' hell-bent obsession to board the run-away train for another "mining boom." It'll be a boom alright -- a boom right in the 'ol noggin. Some will get jobs for a few years, maybe even 10 years. But then what? Of course, these so-called public servants will be long out of office by then (hopefully sooner).

But why should they worry? Let the working man deal with it -- just like when greedy corporate executives sold off our manufacturing base and auto industry to other nations, where items could be produced cheaper (i.e., more money in the pockets of the big-whigs) and we were left standing in the unemployment line.

Ready for another round? Ready to sign up to be the third-world "colony" yet again?

Mining is inherently unsustainable. Minerals are NOT renewable. Any temporary gain (in terms of jobs) will serve only as a temporary stop-gap measure. Although some fortunate folks will jump for joy with that good-paying job, what are we going to do when the pot is empty? Furthermore, the potential for damage to the environment and our "new gold" (water -- soon to be more precious than gold) far outweighs the temporary economic benefits such industry will bring.

This is NOT grandpa's type of mining. This is sulfide hard-rock acid-mine-drainage (AMD) polluting mining. This pollution is difficult, if not impossible, to clean up. Do you want to drink it? What, no health insurance after you lost that temporary job? Well -- now that you are sick -- prove it. Prove that you were poisoned.

Good luck.

When concern is voiced to a legislator or public official, the Chatty-Cathy answer is: "Michigan has the toughest mining laws in the nation" and "well, our regulatory agencies are on top of it." No, we don't and, no, they aren't.

In fact, Michigan's non-ferrous mining law, known as part 632, has plenty of loop-holes. Companies are only required to conduct an in-house EIA (environmental impact assessment). No independent study is required. If a company is able to by-pass (skirt around the Spirit of the Law) the Clean Water Act, then its waste water only has to meet "safe drinking-water standards," which may not support aquatic resources such as juvenile fish. Many existing waters in our beloved U.P. far exceed this "standard." Would not it behoove us to promote legislation to safeguard the purity with which we are blessed?

Furthermore, the DEQ itself has admitted that it doesn't have the staff, financial resources, or technical expertise to do the job. The EPA, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act are currently on the chopping block. Various entities are trying to decimate them.

It would also behoove us to inquire whether any of these multinational corporations (be it Kennecott, Orvana, HudBay, Aquila, others) intends to extract, if discovered, URANIUM. Let us recall the horrors suffered by thousands of Navajo -- genetic mutations, birth defects. The legacy goes on and on.

The western world's so-called magic bullet (our savior, technology) still hasn't cleaned up the water eminating from the Midnight Mine on the Spokane Tribe Reservation, the AMD from the Buck and Dober iron mines in Iron County, nor the dioxin-laced Tittabawassee River downstream from Midland. Our magnificent state already has plenty of Superfund sites and brownfields to go around. We do not need to create any more; nor do we need to try and mask or greenwash the ones we already have.

Disturbingly, there is increasing intelligence data indicating these multinationals may intend to do just that: find a way to extract economically viable quantities of uranium compound from these ore bodies. Has triuranium octoxide been discovered in your neighborhood? near your camp? near your favourite fishing hole? near our beloved Lake Superior or Lake Michigan?

Get smart. Get informed! What are the chemical compositions of a representative sample of the company's drilled cores? Does the DEQ know? Shouldn't the DEQ know? They are supposed to be the regulatory agency! Such information should NOT be deemed a "company secret."

Furthermore, if corporations stand to profit BILLIONS from these "projects," would not it behoove the state of Michigan to demand a fair share of the pie? Shouldn't we DEMAND adequate financial assurance from the parent corporations (not just from their subsidiaries)? They must have a very strong incentive to do their utmost to not leave us and future generations of Michiganders with a big mess and a big bill. We are so hopelessly desperate right now that we foolishly settle for a few measley ten-twenty million rather than hundreds of millions in assurance.

A messy clean-up could end up costing millions per day.

Who is going to insure US -- the citizens of Michigan? What is the legal liability to us, the taxpayer? Have you, citizen, considered this? Remember: hindsight is 20/20. Turn on your brain, open your mouth, ask questions and demand answers. Do NOT settle for mediocrity. The corporation is hoping you will. Fool them! Wake up and smell the coffee!

While well-greased, politically savvy, and slick multinational corporations wine and dine our public servants, become their good buddies, and are deemed "stakeholders" to our regulatory agencies and departments, we, the EVERLASTING TRUE STAKEHOLDERS of the land and water, can't even get an answer to our questions -- nor can we get our elected officials to think, probe, and examine!

Our elected officials owe it to the People of the great State of Michigan to examine the facts, point out and question deficiencies, demand appropriate a priori financial assurances, and promote the development of a sustainable future for all citizens.

Wake up Michiganders! Demand it!

*Margaret Comfort, author of this article, is a resident of Marquette County.

CCGAP, Global City to co-host photojournalist Oct. 17, 18

HANCOCK -- Next week the Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP) will host Graham Hunt, a photojournalist living and working in Central America. He recently spent a year accompanying witnesses in genocide cases against some of Guatemala's most notorious wartime military leaders, revealing the way in which the Guatemalan genocide served to clear the indigenous people from their resource-rich homelands.

Hunt will be giving two public presentations: At 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, he will speak at the First United Methodist Church in Hancock (following a potluck at 6 p.m.).

Global City will co-host Hunt's presentation at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Fisher Hall, Room 329, on the Michigan Tech campus. Pizza and pop will be served. Bring your own cup or mug to minimize waste.

"For six months of this year we supported the work of photojournalist Graham Hunt as he documented the activities of indigenous organizations who educate local communities about their rights in relation to mining corporations," says CCGAP Executive Director Sue Ellen Kingsley. "Graham had served previously as an accompanier to witnesses in the genocide trials, so he is well-acquainted with the issues of social justice and the environment."

Hunt has documented resistance to mega-developments, creating mobile photography exhibits for use by leaders working to raise awareness of indigenous rights.

Check out his work on these NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala) blogs:
http://nisgua.blogspot.com/2010/12/huitan-rejects-mining.html

http://nisgua.blogspot.com/2010/12/communities-present-results-of.html

Hunt will be visiting Monday through Friday of next week. In addition to these public presentations, open to all, he will visit individual classes at Michigan Tech.

Global City is a Michigan Tech campus organization that brings together graduate students, undergraduates and faculty to share knowledge and experiences about global issues and cultural diversity. For more information, visit their Web site.

Read a letter from Graham Hunt on the CCGAP Web site.

Sen. Levin speaks on Great Lakes Week, American Jobs Act

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., made the following statement honoring Great Lakes Week, a week-long summit in Detroit this week highlighting efforts to solve some of the most pressing problems facing the lakes.*

"I am delighted that so many people are in Detroit this week to celebrate the Great Lakes and work to protect them. The lakes are central to our economy, our history, our culture, and our future. Millions of people depend on these lakes for their drinking water, transportation, trade, employment and recreation. We need to ensure that our best efforts and most innovative solutions focus on the restoration and protection of these jewels."

Levin speaks on filibuster against American Jobs Act

On Oct. 12, 2011, Sen. Levin, along with a group of Senate colleagues, gave a Senate Floor speech on the Republican filibuster of the American Jobs Act. Here is an excerpt from the unofficial transcript of Sen. Levin's remarks:

"Madam President, more than 14 million Americans are without work. The American Jobs Act would help up to two million Americans get work or keep their jobs. It would prevent the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers, police, firefighters and other first responders. The jobs bill would give tax cuts to millions of small businesses, would give incentives to those businesses to hire new workers. The American jobs act will provide a payroll tax cut to millions of American families. It would help our returning veterans find jobs. The American jobs act would put thousands of construction workers on the job repairing crumbling schools, building and repairing roads and bridges. Now, the chief economist for Moody's, Mark Zandi, estimates that this legislation would add two percentage points to economic growth and will reduce the unemployment rate by up to one full percentage point. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg believe this bill -- quote -- "would help avoid a return to recession." That's their words. That's what the majority of our economists say. Both sides of the aisle across the political spectrum...."

Click here to read the rest of this transcript and see a video.

* Click here for live streaming of Great Lakes Week events in Detroit.

Copper Harbor Winter Trails Fundraiser is Oct. 14

COPPER HARBOR -- A Copper Harbor Winter Trails Fundraiser -- a Pizza Party at the Mariner North -- will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14. For a $20 donation you can have all the pizza you care to eat!!!

Kids are $10; ages 5 and under Free.

All profits will support the purchase of new equipment for grooming the Copper Harbor Cross Country Ski Trails. The snowmobile groomers had been using for a number of years died at the end of last season. The hope is to buy a UTV to replace it, in addition to a leveling drag to better prepare a more consistent trail surface.

Consider coming up a night before the Keweenaw Cup cyclocross racing action on Saturday and Sunday afternoons!

Visit the Copper Harbor Trails Club Web site for more information.

Club Indigo to feature Italian classic film Oct. 14

CALUMET -- This Friday's (Oct. 14) Club Indigo at the Calumet Theatre features a 1951 Italian classic from the Neo-realist period in the country's filmmaking career.

Miracle in Milan, made by Vittorio de Sica, tells the story of the poor people living in "bumsvilles" outside the major cities. The focus is on one of them, a teen-age boy, Toto, who has been raised by a little old lady to love people and to always think of them as good. In the community of shacks he helps build a society that operates on his theory about good people, and all works well as long as his long dead lady sneaks down to earth with a white dove that brings wishes to life for Toto and his friends. Everything is fine until oil is discovered underneath their little village. That's when a crisis intervenes into their normally peaceful lives; and, just when all seems lost for them, a totally unique miracle occurs.

This feel-good movie won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film festival in 1952, and went on to win award after award globally after that. It has been compared to Nights of Cabiria for its essentially positive tone.

The movie begins at 7:15 p.m., preceded at 6 p.m. by a classic Italian buffet from the chefs at Carmelita's. Cost for both food and film, $18. Film alone, $5. Children get a discount for both.

Call the theatre for a seating at the buffet before Thursday evening: 337-2610.

Khana Khazana to offer Iranian cuisine Oct.14

HOUGHTON -- Traditional Iranian dishes including Kalam Pohloh (saffron rice mixed with meat, lentils and cabbage), Sholeh-Qalamkahr Ahsh (a thick soup) and Tar-Halvah (a two-color saffron pudding with rosewater aroma) will be on the menu at Khana Khazana Friday, Oct. 14, at Michigan Tech's Memorial Union Food Court. Sara Alian, an international graduate student from Iran, is the cook.

Khana Khazana is a weekly international lunch, a collaborative effort of international students and Dining Services. A full meal costs $6 and includes a drink. Individual items are $2. The lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Portage Library's new Law Depot data base offers useful service to library patrons

By Carol Johnson Pfefferkorn*

HOUGHTON -- This morning, I went to the Portage Lake District Library’s website, clicked on PLDL’s new Law Depot resource, and within 20 minutes had created a completed Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney document. All that is left is to print the document, obtain necessary signatures, and make several copies -- one which will be given to my health care provider.

Most patrons have a need for this kind of service. Law Depot claims that 60 percent of all US citizens do not have a will, and fewer than 10 percent of Americans have a Living Will or Medical Power of Attorney.

"Law Depot is intuitive and well organized," says Shawn Leche, PLDL Director. The Law Depot is "an awesome tool that allows patrons to conduct a multitude of legal transactions, such as writing a Last Will and Testament; preparing Living Will documents; preparing a renter’s lease; writing contracts, including real estate and bills of sale -- all from the convenience of your home."

The Law Depot is just one of many services provided to patrons of PLDL, at no cost.

"It fits in with my philosophy for libraries. I believe in a library without walls," Leche notes.

Portage Library also offers Universal Class, where you can enroll in any of 550 courses; Mango Languages, a language learning system offering more than 33 foreign languages and 13 English-as-a-second-language courses; and Learning Express, which provides more than 1,000 online career-oriented and educational learning resources, such as college and admissions prep, career and job search/prep, GED prep.

"My charge is to get the word out, so people can take advantage of a wealth of diverse learning opportunities at the library," Leche explains. "I want people to know about them and use them."

If you have questions, call the Portage Lake District Library at 906- 482-4570. Better yet, visit the PLDL Web site at www.pldl.org.

*Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now guest writer Carol Johnson Pfeffercorn recently moved to the Keweenaw from the Menominee area. In addition to writing, she is assisting Keweenaw Now with advertising and public relations.

Photo: Portage Lake District Library Director Shawn Leche, pictured here in his office, has acquired new data bases for the library -- accessible from patrons' home computers -- as part of his philosophy of having a "library without walls." (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Calumet Art Center to hold FUNDRAISER Oct. 13

Art works like this will be part of the Silent Auction at the Calumet Art Center FUNDRAISER on Thursday, Oct. 13. (Photos courtesy Ed Gray)

CALUMET -- The Calumet Art Center will hold a FUNDRAISER, beginning at 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Don't miss the Silent Auction, fun and food.

Here are some more samples of the art to be offered in the Silent Auction:

Can you guess the name of the artist?

How about purchasing a beautiful hand-made rug at the Silent Auction?

The Calumet Art Center is located at 57055 Fifth Street, Calumet. For more information call (906) 281-3494.

Jack Parker radio interview: Errors, omissions, deceptions in Kennecott Eagle Mine application

From Stand for the Land
Posted Oct. 10, 2011

HOUGHTON -- Stand for the Land reports that in an interview on "Copper Country Today," broadcast recently on The Wolf (97.7 FM) radio in Houghton, mining expert Jack Parker explains how he came to be a key opponent of Rio Tinto’s Eagle Mine Project, and why he has continued fighting for revocation of their permits.

Parker was initially hired by the National Wildlife Federation in 2006 to evaluate Kennecott’s application to mine. After a year and a quarter, the money ran out. He has continued working for free.

"We were astounded by the number of errors in it," Parker said. "We (recommended) that the document be returned to sender, collect, because it was so bad."

Parker explains in the interview some of the major flaws in the permit application that he and other experts determined could result in the instability of the proposed mine.

To listen to the interview, please click here:
http://www.thewolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/10-9-11-Segment-1.mp3

Editor's Notes:
To read about Jack Parker's reports on the Eagle Mine permit application, see our Dec. 6, 2010 article, "Mining expert Jack Parker says Eagle Mine likely to collapse."

To read Jack Parker's latest opinion column on the Eagle Mine, click here.