EFMs, schools concern residents at April Town Hall with Casperson, Huuki

Michigan State Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) and State Rep. Matt Huuki (Atlantic Mine) answer a question on Emergency Financial Managers during the April 23 Town Hall meeting at Michigan Tech. (Photo courtesy Allan Baker)

By Michele Bourdieu

HOUGHTON -- Michigan State Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) and State Rep. Matt Huuki (Atlantic Mine) recently supported budget bills that would slash funding for schools in order to fund a $1.8 billion business tax break. Their budget priorities seem to contradict what they told local residents at an April 23, 2011, Town Hall meeting -- namely that schools in the Upper Peninsula would not reach such a low financial state that they would need an Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) -- in other words, that they did not have the problems of schools in Detroit -- many of which have been closed or taken over by an EFM.

In the House, Huuki voted to pass a controversial budget bill that would slash funding for K-12 schools and higher education by nearly $800 million to pay for a $1.8 billion tax break for corporate special interests.*

In the State Senate, according to Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer, Casperson joined his Republican caucus in supporting drastic cuts to local schools, choosing to plummet roughly 150 school districts into bankruptcy in order to fund a $1.8 billion business tax break. Calumet Public Schools alone will be facing a $1,249,868 slash in funding. Houghton stands to lose up to $221,860.

At the April 23rd Town Hall meeting, local resident Evan Dixon pointed out how Emergency Financial Managers (EFMs) take away the right of the people to govern themselves. The EFMs are being put in place by a Republican government, he noted, despite the fact that Republicans have spoken against "big government."

Local resident Evan Dixon speaks about Emergency Finance Managers as examples of Republican "big government" during the April 23, 2011, Town Hall meeting with State Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) and State Rep. Matt Huuki (R-Atlantic Mine). (Video clips courtesy Allan Baker)

When Casperson spoke about problems in the Detroit schools that even the EFM hasn't been able to fix, retired teacher Jerry Perreault asked which schools in the Upper Peninsula might be in a low enough financial state to be taken over by an EFM. Casperson and Huuki gave the impression none were in that serious a state.

During the April 23 Town Hall meeting with legislators, residents discuss the situation of the Detroit public schools and express concerns about Upper Peninsula schools.

Some Houghton County Democrats have recently expressed concern that both Hancock and Ewen Trout Creek school districts have possibly been targeted for EFMs.

Another discussion at the Town Hall meeting concerned collective bargaining. One resident, who did not identify himself or his school district, spoke at length about the difficulty of being on a school board and trying to negotiate with teachers, who were represented by their union.

Terry LaJeunesse of the Michigan Education Association (MEA), a retired teacher, replied that he was a part of that negotiation, that it was at the E.B. Holman School and that teachers there have made concessions and even taken salary cuts in order to avoid an EFM. He also noted teachers' salaries in the Upper Peninsula are considerably lower than those of downstate teachers.

Terry LaJeunesse of the Michigan Education Association talks about collective bargaining for teachers.

The recent law strengthening the authority of Emergency Financial Managers is the Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act -- Act 4 of 2011. It is described as follows:

"AN ACT to safeguard and assure the fiscal accountability of units of local government, including school districts; to preserve the capacity of units of local government to provide or cause to be provided necessary services essential to the public health, safety, and welfare; to provide for review, management, planning, and control of the financial operation of units of local government and the provision of services by units of local government, including school districts; to provide criteria to be used in determining the financial condition of units of local government, including school districts; to permit a declaration of the existence of a local government financial emergency and to prescribe the powers and duties of the governor, other state departments, boards, agencies, officials, and employees, and officials and employees of units of local government, including school districts; to provide for placing units of local government, including school districts, into receivership; to provide for a review and appeal process; to provide for the appointment and to prescribe the powers and duties of an emergency manager; to require the development of financial and operational plans to regulate expenditures, investments, and the provision of services by units of local government, including school districts, in a state of financial stress or financial emergency; to provide for the modification or termination of contracts under certain circumstances; to set forth the conditions for termination of a local government financial emergency; and to repeal acts and parts of acts."**

*Click here for the May 5, 2011, House Bill 4325 (Appropriations: K-12, colleges and universities ) (House Roll Call 102) (All Democrats and a few Republicans voted against it.)

** Click here for the text of Act 4 of 2011.

See Progress Michigan for a map on potential emergency managers in Michigan.

Editor's Notes: This is the second in a series of articles on the April 23, 2011, Town Hall meeting with State legislators Casperson and Huuki in Houghton. Click here for the first article, "At Houghton Town Hall meeting local elected officials attack federal regulation of gas drilling, mining."

The Western Upper Peninsula Community Action Team is sponsoring a rally to support local schools at noon this Saturday, May 14, at Veteran's Park in Houghton. Click here for details.

Sons of Norway to host Terry Smythe talk on Norwegian long-distance bicycle race May 17

HOUGHTON -- The Sons of Norway Ulseth Lodge will be having a celebration for Norway's Constitution Day on Tuesday, May 17, at the Shelden Grill in the Magnuson Hotel (Franklin Square Inn). The featured speaker will be Terry Smythe -- who will talk about her experience participating in a long distance bicycle race from Trondheim to Oslo, Norway.

Members and the public are invited to attend. A social hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., including children's activities, will be followed by a Norwegian dinner from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The program is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is $12 for adults, $7.50 for children 12 and under (6 and under are free). Reservations are required by May 15; RSVP to Eileen at 482-0292.

This event is open to the public -- anyone who wants to attend can make a reservation and then pay at the door on Tuesday.

Click here for more information on the race.

Carnegie Museum to host presentation on bridge history May 12

HOUGHTON -- Kris Mattila, Michigan Tech associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will give a slide show presentation about the design and building of "the most significant civil engineering structure, exclusive of the mines, in the western Upper Peninsula" from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 12, at the Carnegie Museum.

Mattila, Dumpster-Diver-Extraordinaire, will explain how, in 1959, the piers were built underwater using the caisson method; how the lift span, built just west of the bridge on the shores of Hancock, was floated into position with only eight inches leeway; what it means to be the last bridge to be "field riveted"; and how a serendipitous dumpster-dive behind Dillman Hall helped to preserve this history.

The Carnegie Museum is on the corner of Huron and Montezuma Streets in historic downtown Houghton. Parking is available behind the building or in the City lot across Montezuma Street. For more information, call 482-7140 or email history@cityofhoughton.com. "Like" us on Facebook for updates on exhibits, events, and activities!

Portage Library to host Artistic Director for The Story Line Project

This Story Line portrait of Lempi Johanna Naasko Heinonen, born in 1906 in Hancock, tells the story of a young girl who helped her family after her father was killed in the Quincy Mine. It was exhibited at Heikinpäivä, Hancock's mid-winter festival, in January 2011. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

HOUGHTON -- Mary Wright, artistic director for The Story Line Project, will give a sparkling informational presentation about the project from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 13, at the Portage Lake District Library.

Many Upper Peninsula schools are participating in this project -- from Ontonagon and the Keweenaw to Marquette to Iron Mountain. This Library presentation is being offered at a time when it might be convenient for home-schooled children and their parents to attend and learn about the project.*

The Story Line Project is a powerful public art presentation that pays tribute to ancestors who were courageous while facing adversity. Its theme is derived from the opera Rockland, by Finnish composer Jukka Linkola, a Pine Mountain Music Festival production, which will premiere at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts in July. This major cultural event is based on a true story of an incident that occurred during a strike in 1906 in the copper mines in Rockland near Ontonagon.

"Each one of us comes from a string of ancestors who have shown courage in the face of adversity," Wright explained, "and everyone is invited to honor an ancestor by writing their story and using a photograph if one is available."

Courage during adversity is a universal theme, and the more diversity that is represented in this project, the better. Participants do not need to be Finnish or from the Upper Peninsula. Everyone is invited to join the 7,000 individuals, groups, and families who are participating in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to insure that their ancestors’ stories do not evaporate.

The Story Line Project will be displayed in communities throughout the western Upper Peninsula, then turned over to the archives of the Keweenaw National Historical Park for preservation. Suzanne Jurva, a well-known documentary filmmaker, will also document Story Line for showing to film festivals and public television stations after the opera premieres. The Story Line Project is generously funded by the Michigan Humanities Council and also by the Finlandia Foundation. More information can be found at www.thestorylineproject.com.

Mary Wright has been inspiring and directing large community art projects for years. In the Keweenaw, her projects include the hand painted blue and white chairs; the large, hand-sewn mittens; and the doors project, all of which were displayed along the length of Quincy Street in Hancock.

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

*See map indicating schools that are participating or committed to the project.

Club Indigo to present Almodovar's "Volver" May 13

CALUMET -- The Calumet Theatre will feature the Club Indigo monthly food and film event this Friday, May 13, with an all Spanish evening -- beginning with a Spanish buffet from Carmelita's (Calumet and Houghton) at 6 p.m., followed at 7:15 p.m. by one of Pedro Almodovar's most successful thrillers, VOLVER (To Return), starring his favorite actress, Penelope Cruz, in the lead.

VOLVER is a unique blend of mystery, romance, comedy and suspense, all rolled into one delightful R-rated entertainment. Penelope Cruz plays a woman who works hard to be a good wife, mother, sister, niece, and neighbor in a small Spanish community, where she encounters more trouble than even she is accustomed to. Her marital life is in a state of flux, her aged aunt seems to be having strange visions, while her sister is talking to their mother, who died in a fire five years before -- and more. This is a lively, colorful mixture of comedy, drama, emotion, and fantasy that only director Almodovar could create with his mix of wry humor and appreciation of Spanish women and their wiles. Critics raved about the film when it came out in 2006, saying that the director gave Cruz her best screen showcase to date.

The buffet begins at 6 p.m., the movie at 7:15 p.m. Cost for both buffet and film, $18. For the buffet, a call to the Calumet Theatre will assure seating: 337-2610.

Radio host to present Blues program at Portage Library May 11

HOUGHTON -- Local radio host and music historian Anthony Daniel has the blues, and he wants to share them at the Portage Lake District Library on Wednesday, May 11.

At 6 p.m., he will host the game show without a TV audience, "Blues Clues," and invites everyone to come and test their trivia knowledge about the blues and rock and roll.

The multi-media presentation "Black, White and the Blues: A Look at the Blues Hall of Fame" will be shown at 6:30 p.m. followed at 7 p.m. by the documentary film Sweet Home Chicago. This film tells the real story behind Chess Records, one of the most influential record labels in American pop music.

Currently the host of the program "Yearbook: the 1960s" on WMPL, Daniel was the host of the award-winning historical blues radio program "Forbidden Radio," heard in the Detroit area in the mid-1990s.

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

Spring Migration Bird Count is May 14

HANCOCK -- Record all birds seen on a single spring day -- Saturday, May 14 -- in the county. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Simply keep track of location, time spent birding on foot or by car, or at a feeder.

Get forms from county organizer, Barry Solomon, 487-6793, or email barry.solomon428@gmail.com or bdsolomo@mtu.edu.

Have a Great Bird Day!

Finlandia to present Finnish "sauna" documentary

HANCOCK -- Steam of Life is the featured Nordic film this Thursday, May 12, at the Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock.

The film will be shown twice, at 2 p.m. and at 6 p.m.

In Steam of Life, a Finnish documentary, Finnish men in saunas speak straight from the heart in the warmth of the sauna, cleansing themselves both physically and mentally. Because of the nature of the film, viewer discretion is advised.

The film is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted.

For information, call 487-7549.

Senator Stabenow applauds GM hiring blitz for advanced vehicles

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow -- author of legislation to promote domestic advanced vehicle technology research, development and production -- issued the following statement today following General Motors’ announcement it is soon adding over 4,000 jobs, many at the Detroit-Hamtramck facility that builds the Chevrolet Volt:

"Over 4,000 new jobs, half of them expected in our state, is great news for GM and for Michigan," said Senator Stabenow. "These new jobs are in large part the result of the move toward the new advanced technology vehicles of the future. This is precisely why Congress needs to pass legislation to help encourage more production of high-tech, fuel-efficient vehicles to create more jobs like these and save drivers money at the pump."

Senator Stabenow has been a national leader in the effort to encourage more advanced technology vehicle production in the U.S. Sen. Stabenow's Charging America Forward Act would provide consumers with a rebate worth up to $7500 for plug-in electric vehicles at the time of purchase and give businesses a tax credit for purchasing medium or heavy duty plug-in hybrid trucks. The bill also extends a public-private partnership she helped create to increase the production of advanced battery technologies in America. Yesterday, Senator Stabenow and Congressman Gary Peters were joined by sixteen Michigan automakers and suppliers as they announced legislation, the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act, that will help develop the next generation of high-tech, fuel-efficient vehicles here in the United States.

Rally to save local schools to be held at noon May 14 in Veteran's Park

HANCOCK -- At noon this Saturday, May 14, at Veteran's Park in Houghton, parents, children and teachers and concerned citizens will unite in support of public education at the "Save Your School, Show Your Spirit" Rally. Come wearing your school colors and brimming with spirit to send a message to Lansing that we love our schools and demand local control.

As you are probably aware, recent Michigan legislation will have a big impact on how our local school districts are funded and run. Public education has taken a beating lately. The Michigan House recently voted to slash education spending to pay for an 86 percent corporate tax cut. Both Hancock and Ewen-Trout Schools are in danger of incurring Gov. Snyder's wrath, and consequently being taken over by an Emergency Financial Manager.

Michigan Senator Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) supported these drastic cuts to local schools, choosing to plummet roughly 150 school districts into bankruptcy in order to fund a $1.8 billion business tax break. Calumet Public Schools alone will be facing a $1,249,868 slash in funding.

Senator Casperson also joined his caucus in supporting cuts to local communities. Houghton stands to lose up to $221,860.

Last week State Rep. Matt Huuki (R-Atlantic Mine) voted to pass a controversial budget bill that would slash funding for K-12 schools and higher education by nearly $800 million to pay for a $1.8 billion tax break for corporate special interests like insurance companies, oil companies and Wall Street banks.

Elise Matz of the Western UP Community Action Team, sponsors of the Rally, said the purpose of the event is to draw positive attention to the wonderful job local schools are doing to educate our kids.

"It's going to be a giant pep rally -- people in their school colors, school bands playing as loudly as possible, and ralliers carrying signs in support of education," Matz said. "Our message is simple and non-partisan: we want local control of our schools, and as voters we demand the final say over what happens in our districts. We want to draw attention to the wonderful job our districts are doing, and what we will lose if Lansing gets to decide how to run our districts. We want the rally to be as loud and exuberant as possible. Bring your children, friends and neighbors. If you're a student, wear your team or club uniform. Bring your artwork, instrument and trophies -- whatever school spirit means to you!"

Photo: Sign carried during April 4 Bridge for Unity Walk on Portage Lift Bridge. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Levin, Stabenow: High-Speed Rail funds keep Michigan on track for next generation transportation

WASHINGTON -- Michigan will receive more than $199 million in Recovery Act funds for high-speed rail projects, U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow announced today.

The majority of funding will go to the development of a 135-mile high-speed rail corridor between Dearborn and Kalamazoo, part of the high-speed corridor between Detroit and Chicago. Other funds will go to development of the Ann Arbor station.

"This funding will help move Michigan and the nation forward by making high-speed rail a part of our economic infrastructure," Levin said. "Our economic competitors around the world have long enjoyed the benefits of high-speed rail service between their cities. They have demonstrated that high-speed service can create jobs and promote economic growth, and that it can provide a more energy-efficient alternative."

"Construction of new high-speed lines will create jobs and generate more business activity in Michigan," Stabenow said. "This effort will not only boost our economy, it will provide residents with more transportation options. As gas prices rise, it is critically important that travelers have more choices in addition to driving."

The funds announced today come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The money was previously granted to Florida, but reprogrammed after the Florida governor rejected it. The state of Michigan bid for part of that funding. Michigan previously received more than $161 million in funding for high-speed rail and $40 million for Amtrak stations in Troy, Battle Creek and Dearborn.

The $196.5 million for the Kalamazoo-Dearborn rail project will rehabilitate track and signal systems to allow trains to travel at 110 mph for the 235-mile stretch. The current obsolete signal system will be replaced with a positive train control system, improving safety. The grant fully funds the state’s request.

The Ann Arbor Station’s $2.8 million will be used to complete a preliminary engineering and environmental study required to design and construct a new high-speed rail station in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor Station is the busiest Amtrak station in Michigan, but only has single-tracking capacity, forcing intercity trains to block the mainline while serving the station. By constructing a passing track, more than one train will be able to service the station while others can pass unimpeded.

Michigan will also benefit from $268.2 million in funding for the purchase of 48 high-speed passenger rail cars and seven high-speed locomotives for service on eight corridors in Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. Michigan joined the other states in applying for the funds.

CLK students learn, write about Lake Superior

CALUMET -- "Going Deep -- Life in Lake Superior" was a special hands-on program for CLK (Calumet, Laurium, Keweenaw) Elementary students in April presented by Dr. Martin Auer, Michigan Tech professor of civil and environmental engineering, assisted by some of his graduate students and Lloyd Wescoat, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative co-stewardship project advisor.

Lloyd Wescoat, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative co-stewardship project advisor, uses a floor map to introduce facts about Lake Superior to CLK Elementary students. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

This special event was part of CLK’s Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative Heritage Garden project and the school’s month-long celebration of Earth Month, "3LK at CLK: Living, Learning and Loving the Keweenaw."

Auer's research at Michigan Tech focuses on modeling of Great Lakes and inland waters and field monitoring and laboratory studies related to water quality modeling and management. He is familiar to many in the Keweenaw for his work with Michigan Tech’s research vessel, the Agassiz, bringing people to the water and the water to people in the Lake Superior basin. Each year, Auer and colleagues host hundreds of K-12 students aboard the R/V Agassiz, where they learn how scientists study the Great Lakes.

Aboard the Agassiz in July 2007, a curious young science student observes samples from the bottom of Portage Lake as Michigan Tech Professor Martin Auer explains some of the organisms on the slide. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Students in each grade level had a chance to spend 55 minutes at the following stations with hands-on activities led by presenters in Prof. Auer's team:

Station 1: Lake Superior: Big, Deep, Cold, Beautiful (Lloyd Wescoat)
Station 2 Riding the Waves: Equipment (Erica Jones) On Board the Research Vessel (Dr. Auer)
Station 3 Lake Superior - Plankton: The Garden of Eatin' (Rasika Gawde)
Station 4 Lake Superior - Fish: Who Eats Who? (Sue Larson and Renn Lambert)

Fifth grade students from writing teacher Melissa Schneiderhan's classes contributed essays describing what they learned. Here are some excerpts from the fifth graders' writing along with our photos of the first grade and kindergarten students. Captions are courtesy Barbara Kinnunen, CLK kindergarten teacher.

Dr. Martin Auer, Michigan Tech professor of civil and environmental engineering, shows a video of life on the research boat Agassiz to CLK Elementary students, Julie Giachino, kindergarten teacher (standing), and Helen Corey, Best Start assistant. "He talked about how they were on the boat for seven days, showed the equipment used, the living quarters, the weather conditions," says kindergarten teacher Barbara Kinnunen. "The big hit of the video was when Dr. Auer showed them the waves crashing up and hitting the front of boat -- the footage was from inside the boat from the captain's viewpoint. Dr. Auer got them very excited and would oooh and aahhh louder than the children. This was my class's first station and they got so excited and interested! It was great!"

From Jenna Kivela-Heinz:

"At Dr. Auer's presentation this morning, I learned that Lake Superior is 1,332 feet deep! I also learned that about 65,500 Torch Lakes can fit into Lake Superior! That's one big lake! I learned so much I can't write it all down on paper.

"My favorite station had to be the station that had microscopic plankton and bugs under a microscope. I thought it was so cool and interesting to see live plankton on a screen that no human eye would be able to spot on its own."

From David Haapala:

"On the Agassiz they study four things: water, sediment, fish, plankton. When they're catching the plankton they use nets with holes that are 1,000,000th of an inch."

Students take turns looking at tiny creatures under the microscope, assisted by Rasika Gawde of Prof. Auer's team. "The children were able to each look into the microscope and see actual plankton," Kinnunen writes. "They had to stand on a chair to do so -- that's how big this microscope was. They appeared to be absolutely awed by what their eyes were seeing. As one of the children leaned towards the microscope, she said, 'Look at me! I'm a scientist!'"

From Allison Spence:

"Then (Dr. Auer) showed us how they use bottles that look like oxygen tanks to get water samples from the bottom of the Lake. A lady named Erica showed us how they use a special special claw to take sediment from the lake floor."

Erica Jones demonstrates equipment from the Agassiz research boat. Kinnunen writes, "She showed the equipment used for taking mud samples. The children loved this part. She showed them how the container opens at impact, seals off and then is opened again to extract the sample. It was quite loud and dramatic. She even let the children, with her help, open and close the hinges of the equipment. They could have stayed there all day. The last part of this station was seeing the equipment used to collect water samples. She climbed up on a ladder (again, the children loved this part) and showed how it is dropped in to the water and how the canister opens and closes and then how to empty the contents in to bottles afterwards."

From Amara Berg:

"Did you know Lake Superior is usually 40 degrees Farenheit? the food chain goes like this: phytoplankton <---- zooplankton <---- little fish <---- big fish <---- you."

From Amber Johnson:

"We eat big fish that eat little fish. They eat zooplankton that eat phytoplankton. The usual water temperature for Lake Superior is 40 degrees F. In a boat on Lake Superior you can see about twenty feet down. On a boat on Torch Lake you can see about six feet down. That's how clean Lake Superior is!"

Kindergarten children are asked to put their hands into a large tank of water and experience how cold Lake Superior is. "That also got quite the effect!" Kinnunen says.

From David Haapala:

"There was another station that was cool. It was a station where a scientist dissected a fish's stomach so we could see what it ate. In that station we also learned about a food chain."

From Jenna Kivela-Heinz:

"I didn't really have a least favorite activity, but if I had to choose, it would be the station with fish guts. The guy dissected the stomach of a lake trout and showed us the dead fish inside. It was interesting, sort of, but I have a weak stomach and the smell was AWFUL!!!"

From Amara Berg:

"I didn't like the fish guts station. It was so ... gross! It didn't smell good either! There were a kind of bigger fish and a really small one too."

From Warren Torola:

"My favorite station was where a scientist was opening up the stomach of a trout so we could see what it had eaten. It smelled very strongly of fish, which isn't unusual. He also showed us how the Lake Superior food chain goes from sun and nutrients to phytoplankton to zooplankton, then the small fish eat them and the big fish then eat the small fish and are eaten by us."

Sue Larson dissects fish to teach children about the food chain in Lake Superior.

From Amara Berg:

"My favorite station was when we learned about how many Torch Lakes fit in Lake Superior and how deep Lake Superior is. We learned about lots of things. We also learned a cheer."

Carrie Molloy, kindergarten Best Start assistant, leads students in a cheer about Lake Superior: "The lake is BIG, the lake is DEEP, the lake is COLD, the lake is BEAUTIFUL!!!!" Kindergarten teacher Barb Kinnunen notes the children continued to repeat the cheer later in the school day and even in days following.

From Warren Torola:

"At the program with Dr. Auer, we learned that Lake Superior is, at its deepest point, 1,332 feet deep, which is ten of the smoke stack outside our school stacked up. The smokestack is 149 feet tall so it's very hard to imagine what ten of it stacked up would be like.

Lloyd Wescoat uses her fingers to represent the smokestack multiplied ten times to represent the depth of Lake Superior. Pictured at right is kindergarten teacher Mandy Galetto. "(Lloyd Wescoat) gave them some information about the lake and when she got to the depth part she opened the side door, showed the children the smoke stack across the street and told them that the depth is approximately 10 of those stacked on top of each other. The children 'OOOHHED' as they tried to picture this in their heads. To emphasize her meaning she used her fingers to represent the stack and moved it up 10 times," kindergarten teacher Barbara Kinnunen writes.

"Dr. Auer and his graduate students helped bring Lake Superior to over 700 students this week and we are so very thankful," said Lloyd Wescoat.

Other CLK fifth-grade teachers who participated in the program were Julie Fenton, Amy Hakala, and Jody Sever.

The Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) connects schools and communities in the stewardship of Lake Superior and its watershed. The Initiative is one of eight hubs statewide that are part of the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, with support from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust and the Wege Foundation.

LSSI will hold a Celebration and Sharing from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Monday, May 9, on the two floors of Michigan Tech’s Forestry Building. The public is invited to
attend. Click here for details.

Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative invites public to Celebration, Sharing May 9

HOUGHTON -- The Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) Celebration and Sharing will take place from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Monday, May 9, on the two floors of Michigan Tech’s Forestry Building. The public is invited to attend.

Joan Chadde, Co-Stewardship Project Advisor and Community Organization Coordinator is pictured here with the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) photo display at the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's "Celebrate the UP" event in Hancock March 19, 2011. Chadde works on the LSSI Leadership Team with Shawn Oppliger, Project Manager and School Coordinator, and Lloyd Wescoat, Co-Stewardship Project Advisor. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

The purpose of the LSSI Celebration is to showcase the work of the 14 school-teams -- teachers, students, and community partners -- to the community, school boards, families, and potential funders.

Each school-community team will have an exhibit displaying their project work in partnership with one or more community partners, and each will make a short presentation. Washington Middle School (WMS) will present their "Adopt-a-Beach" and school forest program through photos, flyers, and student work. Lake Linden-Hubbell Elementary School showed their portable "frisbee disc" golf basket that is being used to introduce Lake Linden-Hubbell Elementary students to the game as a warm-up to the new disc golf course that the LLH 5th grade is developing for the Lake Linden Village Park. They are partnering with the Village of Lake Linden. C.J. Sullivan Elementary School has designed and built a nature trail at their school forest for the community and other classes to enjoy and learn from. They are partnering with the Village of L’Anse.

Here is the Schedule:

4 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. School-community teams set up project displays in alpha order by school in atrium.

6:30 p.m. - 6:35 p.m. MC welcome (G002 Hesterberg Hall)

6:35 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. View LSSI Video

6:45 p.m. - 7 p.m. Elementary School Team Presentations by students, up to 2 min. each

7 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Break -- Continuous play slideshow of projects and view Project Displays

7:20 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. View LSSI Video

7:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Middle and High School Team Presentations by students -- 2 minutes each

8 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. View Project Displays

Ongoing 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. View School Community Team Project Displays in Atrium, Scavenger Hunt, Snack Buffet

School Teams presenting/exhibiting are Pelkie School - Baraga Area Schools, B.R.I.D.G.E. High School, Chassell High School, C.J. Sullivan Elementary, CLK Elementary School, Dollar Bay High School, E.B. Holman School, Hancock High School, Hancock Middle School, Horizons Alternative High School, Jeffers High School, Lake Linden-Hubbell Elementary School, Lake Linden-Hubbell Middle School, Washington Middle School.

For more information email Shawn Oppliger at shawn@copperisd.org.

The Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative is part of the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, which was established by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust with the support of the Wege Foundation. Visit their Web site at lakesuperiorstewardship.org.

Native American statements on U.S. military's use of "Geronimo" code name

Statement by Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs, on Behalf of the Haudenosaunee:*

"We've lD'd Geronimo" -- 102 years after his death Geronimo is still being killed by U.S. Forces.

This is a sad commentary on the attitude of leaders of the U.S. military forces that continue to personify the original peoples of North America as enemies and savages. The use of the name Geronimo as a code name for Osama Bin Laden is reprehensible. Think of the outcry if they had used any other ethnic group's hero. Geronimo bravely and heroically defended his homeland and his people, eventually surrendering and living out the rest of his days peacefully, if in captivity, passing away at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1909. To compare him to Osama bin Laden is illogical and insulting. The name Geronimo is arguably the most recognized Native American name in the world, and this comparison only serves to perpetuate negative stereotypes about our peoples. The U.S. military leadership should have known better.

It all brings to mind the August 13, 2010, statement by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg advising then Governor Paterson to "get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun" to deal with Indian affairs. This kind of thinking indicates little progress in a mature social development of United States leadership.

The military record of American Indians is exemplary. We have more men and women per capita volunteering in U.S. military services than any other ethnic group. lt was American Indian code talkers that used their native languages to carry and transmit messages that Japanese and German intelligence could not decode, saving thousands of American lives in World War II. Ironically these brave men and women were using languages that American and Canadian boarding schools were doing their best to stamp out. When can we expect respect for our human dignity and human rights?

From Winona LaDuke, Native American activist:

The reality is that the military is full of native nomenclature. That’s what we would call it. You’ve got Black Hawk helicopters, Apache Longbow helicopters. You’ve got Tomahawk missiles. The term used when you leave a military base in a foreign country is to go "off the reservation, into Indian Country." So what is that messaging that is passed on? You know, it is basically the continuation of the wars against indigenous people. ... It is indeed an egregious slander for indigenous peoples everywhere -- and to all Americans, I believe -- to equate Osama bin Laden with Geronimo.

Editor's Notes:

*The Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois (Six Nations Confederacy), founded over 1,000 years ago, includes the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk and Tuscarora Nations.

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter.

** Winona LaDuke is the author of The Militarization of Indian Country. Click here for her recent comments on the military use of Geronimo on Democracy Now.

Thanks to Jessica Koski of New Warriors for the Earth for sharing the above information.

Mick McKellar: "Shadow Puddles"

Editor's Note: Mick McKellar, Copper Country poet, sent the following poem, with prose introduction, on his 73rd day at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he is recuperating from a stem-cell transplant for cancer. It is reprinted here with his permission.

I was just sitting on a stone pillar, atop Brockway Mountain (near Copper Harbor, MI) on a warm September day, with my camera set and ready to capture fall colors from the forest panorama -- much of it framed by the deep blue of Lake Superior. An artist's sky swung overhead -- brilliant blue with plenty of fluffy, puffy, white clouds moving rather rapidly before the wind. The sun was high, causing the clouds to cast shadows on the forest and on the surface of the big lake, shadows that chased each other through the valley and hills below.

I remember the incredible speed of the shadows, which seemed to change pace as they crossed the rugged terrain. Despite the chase, no two shadows connected. They just followed each other out of sight over the next ridge. Sometimes, it feels to me that I am chasing along behind one shadow and leading another, racing over rough terrain or blue water, and never quite connecting with any fellow shadows... leaving no trace of my passage...

Mick

Shadow Puddles

In open field, I sat upon a stone,
As scudding clouds drew shadow puddles, fast
Approaching where I chewed my thoughts alone,
I wondered if I'd feel them when they passed.
Touched cooler, yes, than full sun on my skin,
The shadow puddles played upon the field,
And rushed upon the wind, they raced their kin,
Though none could gain advantage, none would yield.
This playful trifle I might have ignored,
Yet, odd, there on my stone that I should find,
The passing puddles touched a deeper chord,
Played deep within the music in my mind --
A song whose message I could not rescind:
We're shadow puddles driven on the wind.

Mick McKellar
May 2011

(Read more from Mick on his blog, Out of My Mind.)

Volunteers needed to help build Sculpture Park in Calumet, starting May 7

By Michele Bourdieu

Main Street Calumet and sculptor Tom Rudd hope -- with the help of volunteers -- to turn this small lot on Fifth Street in Calumet into a "Sculpture Park." The site was formerly a restaurant that burned down. In the background is the rear wall of the Calumet Theatre. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

CALUMET -- Sculptor and Calumet resident Tom Rudd is working with Main Street Calumet to turn a small, empty lot into a "Sculpture Park" on Calumet's historic Fifth Street. Assisted by David Sarazin, a student intern from Finlandia University's International School of Art and Design, Rudd hopes to turn the small empty space behind the Calumet Theatre and near Ace Hardware into a "pocket park" location for outdoor sculpture.

This is a model of what the "Sculpture Park" might look like when complete. (Photo courtesy Tom Rudd)

If volunteers show up with a few tools and some materials, work on the park will start this Saturday, May 7.

"Tom and David will be on-site at 9 a.m. Saturday as part of Main Street Calumet's annual downtown clean-up," said Tom Tikkanen, Main Street Calumet executive director. "Volunteers are encouraged to bring rakes, shovels, and work gloves and assemble at the Sculpture Park site on 5th Street (across 5th Street from Ace Hardware) or at the Agassiz Park Pavilion at 9 a.m. this Saturday, May 7th."

Main Street Calumet will have coffee available at the Agassiz Park pavilion and also hot dogs around noon for volunteers who help with the clean-up and with the "pocket park" site.

"Unfortunately, this (Sculpture Park) effort was not funded by the Keweenaw National Historical Park Heritage Grant program, but Main Street Calumet's Design Committee's efforts will not be deterred," Tikkanen noted.

Rudd is asking that local residents help with a materials inventory of items available to use for construction of the park, such as sandstone blocks for the back wall.

"I know there are piles of stones, bricks, and metal around the area that we could use for this project," Rudd said.

Tom Rudd explains what needs to be done to the walls of the potential park and why he hopes to have a wall in the back so as not to disturb Calumet Theatre activities. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Even if people don't have the items on hand, they might know where unused materials are. With that information Rudd or Main Street Calumet could approach the owner, Rudd added. Rudd is a member of the Main Street Calumet Design Committee.

One of the first steps will be to re-do the stone walkway.

"We have to take all these stones out, level the area, put sand as a base, and then replace a good number of the stones," Rudd explained.

Sculptor Tom Rudd, right, and Finlandia art student David Sarazin work on digging up the stones in the pocket park so that the walkway can be re-done. (Photo courtesy Tom Tikkanen of Main Street Calumet)

Rudd also hopes to have pedestals to anchor the sculpture so it can be alternated.

"What it comes down to is assisting in making Calumet an art destination," Rudd explained. "We already have four or five galleries, the theatre, the Calumet Players. There's a lot of cultural activity."

Rudd created such a sculpture park in Detroit's inner city and says it has been very successful.

"The people in the neighborhood are caring for the park and the sculpture," he said.

Rudd is especially known for his stone sculptures of fish. The park in Detroit is known as "Fish Park" because of a big stone fish that he carved. Located in the middle of the park, the large fish is one of a series that he calls "Monuments to Minnows."

"It's sort of a metaphor for the common man: You're not really a minnow. You're a big fish," Rudd says.

He also likes to design Japanese dry gardens.

Rudd has also done external sculpture for Western Oregon University, Grand Valley State University and several cities in southern Michigan. In December 2011, the city of Frankenmuth, Mich., will exhibit one of Tom’s fish.

Anyone wishing to help with the project can show up this Saturday at 9 a.m. or contact Tom Tikkanen at Main Street Calumet by emailing ttikkanen@mainstreetcalumet.com or by calling (906) 337-3246 (337-MAIN).

Click here for the Main Street Calumet volunteer page to read more about how you can help with their projects.

Editor's Note: Read more about Calumet residents Tom Rudd and his wife, artist Margo McCafferty, as well as their talented children, in Keweenaw Now’s June 2, 2010, article, "Artists McCafferty, Rudd create, teach, join Keweenaw community."

Calumet to host First Friday events May 6

CALUMET -- First Friday in Calumet, May 6, promises a variety of cultural activity and celebration with a book signing, two opening receptions for new art exhibits, a watercolor painting activity and ribbon cuttings for two downtown businesses.

Book signing at Conglomerate Café

A book signing and reception to celebrate Stars in the Water, a new book published by Mudminnow Press, will take place at the Conglomerate Café from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 6, as a part of Main Street Calumet’s First Friday festivities. The book signing and reception are free and open to the public.

Stars in the Water book cover. (Image courtesy Main Street Calumet)

Stars in the Water is a collaboration of four Copper Country artists: Lesley DuTemple (author), Jack Oyler (illustrator), Laura Smyth (designer), and Joe Kirkish (photographer). DuTemple, a resident of Eagle River, is an award-winning author of more than two dozen children’s books. Her most recent book, Stars in the Water, features three magical tales of nature and the North Woods and is certain to please readers of all ages.

The stories have been richly illustrated by Jack Oyler of Calumet -- using his signature three-dimensional woodcuts. While this is Oyler’s first book, art enthusiasts will be familiar with his work, which has been displayed in area galleries.

Oyler’s illustrations were skillfully photographed by Houghton resident Joe Kirkish, who is well-known locally as a photographer, retired Michigan Tech professor, and founder of the Calumet Theater’s popular movie series, Club Indigo.

The book’s design was creatively conceived and executed by Copper City’s graphic designer Laura Smyth, who has a long line of books to her credit, as well as Further North, a magazine about life and art on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Stars in the Water has united the creative talents of these four artists in an engaging children’s book that will be loved by readers of all ages.

The author, illustrator, photographer, and book designer will all be on hand to answer questions and sign books at this First Friday event. Several of Jack Oyler’s original art pieces commissioned for this book will be on display as well. Books will be available for sale at the time of the signing. Copies are also available now in several Copper Country locations, including Copper Harbor, Calumet, Hancock, Houghton, Chassell, and Marquette.

Wood artists to exhibit at Ed Gray Gallery

"Wood: Form and Function" -- a gallery show featuring area wood artists Norm Hefke, Pat Reagan, Steve Schlumpf, Steve Uren, and Wayne Walma -- will open at the Ed Gray Gallery in Calumet at 6:30 p.m. on First Friday, May 6. All five artists will be present to premiere this show and their new work. An exciting offering of pieces ranges across the spectrum from turned pieces to furniture. Come to meet the artists and discuss their work!

The Ed Gray Gallery is at 109 Fifth Street in Calumet.

Vertin Gallery: "Kind of Blue," inspired by water

The Vertin Gallery will hold an opening reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 6 for their May show, "Kind of Blue" by Amy Arntson.

Summer Dance by Amy E. Arntson. Watercolor. (Photo courtesy Vertin Gallery)

Arntson is a Great Lakes artist who draws her inspiration directly from the water. Using the waterscape to convey emotion her work encapsulates the experience of water and uses it to convey deeper and more powerful emotions, often evoking an overwhelming sense of peace and meditation.

"My paintings are about spirit, as much as they are about a body of water," Arntson writes in her artist statement. "Growing up in the Great Lakes region, water has always been a powerful symbol for me. It is intimately connected with the passage of time, with stability and change: both fragile and seemingly eternal. Most of my current paintings do not reference the surrounding land; instead, they focus on abstract design qualities of light, texture, shape and movement of water. Without a horizon line, viewers are encouraged to meditate on the water, projecting themselves into the painting. While the artist begins the painting, each viewer completes it, with memories and personal associations."

"Kind of Blue" will be on display at the Vertin Gallery from May 6 through June 1.

For more information on the gallery and upcoming events, please visit www.vertingallery.com or call (906) 337-2200.

Water Color Wonderland at Copper Country Gallery

If you ever wanted to visit wonderland, its all here at the Copper Country Gallery on Fifth Street in Calumet for a First Friday event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on May 6. Save on gas! Water Color Painters Clyde Mikkola, Robert Sturos and Bob Dawson will still be wondering exactly what will be happening as you read this. Rest assured this will be a free, educational, fun-filled event!

All supplies will be provided by Copper Country Associated Artists. Coffee and bakery will also be provided. Donations are appreciated.

Ribbon cutting for new, old businesses

At 5:30 p.m. on First Friday, May 6, Main Street Calumet will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to honor one new downtown Calumet business and one business that has been operating in the community for 65 years.

EarthWise, at 216 Fifth Street, is a new store offering many unique items in the areas of gifts, beauty and health such as marzipan chocolate, flower essences, essential oils, books related to health and well being, Baggallini purses as well as hand-dipped beeswax candles, hand-made soaps and a variety of vitamins and supplements.

The old business to be honored is The Office Shop next door at 218 Fifth Street. In 1946 The Office Shop, Inc., opened its doors; and through the years its inventory of office supplies and services has increased to include faxing and copying documents for its customers.

Celebrate these two downtown businesses at the ribbon cutting on your way to the art events and book signing this Friday.

Reminder: Tree Sale pick-up May 6, 7 in Hancock

HOUGHTON -- Pick-up times for the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) Annual Tree Sale are from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 6, and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 7, at the Houghton County Arena, 1500 Birch St., Hancock.

A $15 late fee will be charged for orders not picked up by noon, Saturday, May 7, when remaining items will go on sale for the public.

If you wish to volunteer with preparations for the tree sale, call Sue at (906) 369-3400.

The Annual Tree Sale is HKCD's MAJOR fundraiser of the year. All proceeds go to conservation efforts and education in Houghton and Keweenaw Counties.

New Warriors for Earth launch new Web site

By Michele Bourdieu

BARAGA -- New Warriors for the Earth (Oshikinawe-Ogichidaag Akiing) recently launched their new Web site. New Warriors for the Earth, is an Anishinaabe-based non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering communities to take positive action to protect Aki, Mother Earth. Co-founders of the group are Jessica Koski and Cory Fountaine. Both are Anishinaabe and members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC).

During the 2010 Protect the Earth Gathering last July, at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College in Baraga, Jessica Koski and Cory Fountaine, co-founders of New Warriors for the Earth, present keynote speaker Winona LaDuke -- Native American activist, environmentalist and writer -- with the gift of a blue shawl. The Women's Movement for the Water is encouraging Native women to make and wear blue shawls to symbolize protecting the world's water for future generations. Fountaine, an art student, also designed the logo for the Protect the Earth banner. (Keweenaw Now 2010 file photo)

Fountaine, an artist and the proud father of two sons, is currently attending Ojibwa Community College in Baraga and Northern Michigan University in Marquette. This month Koski completed a master’s degree in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She also holds an associate's degree from Ojibwa Community College and a bachelor's degree from Michigan Technological University. Koski recently accepted a full-time position as the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Mining Technical Assistant.

"We are grounded and guided by our Anishinaabe heritage and culture," Koski says. "Our mission is to raise awareness about mining and environmental injustices facing the Western Great Lakes region and Aki. Our initial purpose is to protect our abundant freshwater resources and traditional homelands located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from intrusive multinational mining corporations and hazardous sulfide and uranium mining."

The new Web site offers a Community Education page that gives facts about sulfide mining and its impacts on the environment. It also offers a list of links to important documents of interest to anyone concerned with Native American treaties and environmental justice. The Culture page includes songs in the Ojibwa language and a video documentary on restoring the language.

In addition to news and events updates, New Warriors for the Earth has an attractive photo page of local interest. The video page offers inspiring video clips -- from Drew Nelson's illustrated song "Eagle Rock" to Winona LaDuke speaking on climate change and food sovereignty.

The About page gives profiles of Fountaine, Koski and other leaders of the group:

• Charlotte Loonsfoot, KBIC member, who started the camp at Eagle Rock in April and May 2010 -- a mother of five children -- is committed to protecting the water for future generations. She has an associate's degree from Ojibwa Community College and plans to attend Michigan Tech for further study.
  

• Kalvin Hartwig, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, a Michigan Tech graduate who has been studying at Yale University, was a fire-keeper and camper at Eagle Rock. This summer he will be interning at the United Nations Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

• Casey Snyder, who grew up in rural central Michigan alongside many Anishinaabe people and has Metis ancestry, also participated in the 2010 occupation of Eagle Rock and played an important role in the start-up of New Warriors for the Earth.

Click here or go to http://newwarriorsforearth.wordpress.com/ for the New Warriors for the Earth home page.

Editor's Note: See Jessica Koski's recent letter to the editor, "Gov. Snyder, halt Eagle Mine, consider long-term impacts," published in Keweenaw Now Apr. 14, 2011.

New Works by Derik Spoon on exhibit in Kerredge Gallery May 5 - June 4

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center announces its new exhibit in the Kerredge Gallery: New Works by Derik Spoon. The exhibit of kiln-formed glass wall sculpture and hand-built ceramic functional ware will open on May 5 and be on display through June 4, 2011.

An opening reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to see Derik Spoon’s new work. Refreshments will be served.

Derik Spoon earned his BFA in ceramics from the University of Iowa. He teaches ceramics at Finlandia University’s International School of Art and Design and is a full-time studio artist. His experience includes working as a ceramic glaze technician at the Clay Art Center in Tacoma, Washington, and as a slip casting technician at Sauer Pottery in Port Orchard, Washington. Before attending college he worked as a bicycle mechanic -- work that is based on diagnosing a problem by systematically evaluating all possible causes and eliminating the variables that are not the cause of the problem. This, along with his work as a clay studio technician has shaped his approach to art making.

Spoon says, "I find that I look at all things that I create from the same mindset of being a bicycle mechanic. Everything I make is taken from the aspect of breaking down the piece as a whole and then assembling it from parts."

This exhibit is made possible with a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Copper Country Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information call (906) 482-2333 or visit the website: coppercountryarts.com.