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HOUGHTON -- A determined crowd of 60 marched in harsh winter weather to assert that Monday, February 17, 2025, was Presidents' Day, not King's Day. With the temperature hovering around zero degrees Fahrenheit and the windchill making it feel like -16, the crowd joined protesters across the country in the "50501 Movement: A National Call for Justice, Integrity, and Accountability."**
The enthusiastic group assembled at Bridgeview Park in Houghton, Mich., before their march across the Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock.
With flags and signs, marchers assemble at Bridgeview Park near the Lift Bridge.
Protesters indicated they were concerned about a constitutional crisis, the firing of federal employees, the stopping of health research, and equal rights for all.
Houghton resident Bill Fink -- a retired, longtime federal employee with the National Park Service -- spoke of his concerns about the Trump Administration's recent unjust firing of federal workers.
Former National Park Service employee Bill Fink says he joined the march because of his concerns for federal workers both in the past and today.
Barry Fink of Houghton said, "We call on Congress to act now to stop the infringement on its legislative authority and respond to the ongoing
assault on our democracy on behalf of the American people."
Marchers held signs including, "Make America Better," "Stop the Steal," "Government of/by/for the people, not by/for Billionaires," "Protect our Constitution," "Save our Democracy," "Dissent is Patriotic," and "No oligarchs."
Bundled up for the frigid weather, more marchers gather with their signs at Bridgeview Park.
Elizabeth Benyi of Calumet said she was marching to "bring attention to the ways DOGE and King Musk are destroying the lives of citizens/taxpayers/voters." She cited the story of a devoted husband, father, and patriot who lost his job in a ruthless manner, knowing he represents many other civil servants across the country.
More participants arrive at Bridgeview Park and prepare to march across the Lift Bridge.
Catherine Paavola said she was glad to see so many people who showed up to oppose the policies of the Trump Administration, including especially the firing of federal workers, which "is going to be a terrible, terrible loss to our entire nation."
Catherine Paavola expresses her concern for government workers.
Marchers proceeded up Shelden Avenue to the bridge, where they stood holding their signs for passing cars and chanting, "Hey, hey! Ho, Ho! Trump and Musk have got to go!" and inquiring, "Where is Bergman? Louisiana?"***
Marchers display their flags and signs on Shelden Avenue in Houghton as they head for the Lift Bridge to Hancock.
Linda Belote of Houghton, who gave permission to indicate that
she is 84 years old, said, "Cold and snow are no reason to be a 'no
show.' If I can do this to make a statement, lots of others can too,
and I hope they do. The president has to hear that 'We The People'
support our Constitution, our three-part government with checks and
balances, and not government by executive officer by himself. We are not
an autocracy."
Marchers head up Shelden Avenue toward the bridge. Linda Belote is pictured at left with her ski poles for good balance.
The group then crossed the bridge, held signs for honking passers-by, and returned to stand on the corner for awhile longer.
Marchers cross the Lift Bridge to Hancock and return in frigid, windy conditions -- near zero degrees F. with very cold wind chills.
Flags in the wind are evidence of even colder temperatures on the bridge.
Many age groups were represented among the participants in the No King's Day march. One of the youngest was Anna of Atlantic Mine.
Anna displays her sign and says why she is marching.
Sarah Green of Calumet, an organizer of the march, who has been speaking during public comment periods at recent local government meetings, spoke about her concerns and the need for citizens to contact their representatives about the dangers of the Trump-Musk policies of firing government employees, including veterans. She also mentions First US House District Representative Jack Bergman's failure to communicate with citizens.
Sarah Green, one of the organizers of the Feb. 17 No King's Day march, cites some reasons for the march and citizens' opposition to the policies of Elon Musk and President Trump.
Following the march, Sarah Green spoke to the group about attending local government meetings, voicing their concerns and contacting elected officials and legislators.**** She will be making comments at the following meetings:
Hancock City Council: 6 p.m. today, Wednesday, Feb. 19, in Hancock City Hall Council Chambers. Public comments are at the beginning of the meeting.
Calumet Township: 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the Calumet Township Office, 25880 Red Jacket Road, Calumet, MI.
A Houghton County Democratic Party initiative to discuss what can be done on the local level to resist the Federal power grab. The first meeting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock.
Editor's Notes:
* Guest author Alexandra Larsen, of Atlantic Mine, has worked as an Integrated Marketing Communication Specialist/Editor for Michigan Tech and enjoys writing. While her background is in business and marketing, Alexandra has served as a School Volunteer at South Range Elementary School for the past 10 years and is Vice President of their Parent Teachers Organization. She is also the mother of five children and is active in church and community volunteer work.
** According to a Newsweek article, "The 50501 Movement is a grassroots initiative organizing mass protests against the Trump administration's policies. The name derives from the movement's goal: 50 states, 50 protests, in one day (Feb. 17, 2025). Organizers and participants advocate for a variety of causes, including immigrant rights, government accountability and opposition to Project 2025."
*** Sarah Green encourages concerned citizens to call Rep. Bergman's office. He is supposed to be in the First District this week but has been difficult to reach. His phone numbers include these: DC Office, 202-225-4735; Traverse City, 231-944-7633; Gwinn, 906-273-2227.
[Editor's Note: This week Sarah Green, a resident of Calumet, Mich., addressed both the Houghton City Council (Feb. 12) and the Houghton County Board of Commissioners (Feb. 11) during public comment periods at their meetings. Green expressed her views, shared by many Copper Country residents, concerning the anti-democratic government coup by the Trump Administration. Green has given Keweenaw Now permission to present here, as a letter to the editor, the points she presented to these local government leaders.]
Houghton City Council Sarah Green, Calumet Township 2025-02-12
Thank you for your attention and for your efforts to improve lives of Houghton citizens. Although I live in Calumet, I benefit from numerous amenities in the city and have appreciated all the improvements of the past 30 years.
I have spoken to many groups about climate change, environmental topics, and other issues. I’m here today to address a threat to our democratic institutions.
Article 1 of the US constitution is about congress: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."
According to the constitution: • Congress is given the power to pass laws and enact the budget. • The President is commander in chief and has certain international roles, but his main responsibility is to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" (Article II). • The Judicial branch can enforce the laws and overturn laws that are unconstitutional.
This balance of powers is under attack.
1. The president is claiming the power to overturn the wishes of congress by freezing funds that have already been approved. The funding freeze aimed to block thousands of programs across the country from Meal-on-Wheels to Cancer Research. Billions of dollars in federal funding flows to counties and townships, often through state programs, including Community block grants, infrastructure programs, student loans, school lunch programs, and health insurance. Here in Houghton, $82M of federal funding supported research at Michigan Tech last year.
These are your taxes that congress is sending back to support citizens and programs for their benefit. The president does not have the right to block it.
A judge agreed, and has since ordered that the freeze be lifted and then held the administration in contempt when money continued to be blocked.
2. A private citizen and his unvetted associates have gained access to personnel records of federal employees, and to the Treasury, which houses your social security data, tax information, and personal data on every person who has conducted business with the federal government.
There is no provision under any of the three branches for a private businessman to have access to the nation’s checkbook. And Elon Musk not only has billions of dollars in contracts with the government through his various companies, but also has undisclosed relationships with Russia, China, and other U.S. adversaries.
Security experts have raised the alarm about this breach of the firewall that protects the personal information of millions of citizens.
Again, a judge has moved to block this access. However, we don’t know how much of your data was taken before the order.
Inset photo: Sarah Green. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University and Sarah Green)
Poster courtesy Sarah Green. (Click on poster for larger version.)
Sarah Green, Calumet Township Remarks to Houghton County Commissioners’ meeting, 2025-02-11
1. Thanks for listening; I don’t often attend these meetings, but I truly appreciate the efforts you make in improving the lives of Houghton County citizens.
2. I support childcare and small businesses; both are essential for our community. I therefore approve of the county moving ahead with the Gabby’s Guppies application.
3. As I’m sure you are aware, the Community Revolving Loan Fund (CRLF) for the Gabby’s Guppies comes from the federal HUD Community Block Grant Program, funded by our federal taxes.
4. You may also know that the Community Block Grant Program had its funds frozen last week after an illegal incursion of the US Treasury by a private citizen and his unvetted associates. A judge has since ordered that the freeze be lifted (and held them in contempt today when it wasn’t).
5. Many other programs that your constituents depend on are threatened by these illegal actions: social security, housing assistance, medicare, veterans’ programs, mental health support.
6. Elon Musk is further threatening the more than 9000 federal workers employed in MI-01 (1st congressional district). These employees make up 2.6 percent of the workforce.* About 40 percent of them work for the VA; about 30 percent are veterans themselves. These are your friends and neighbors who may be abruptly fired next week.
Poster courtesy Sarah Green. (Click on poster for larger version.)
7. Do you have a plan to support Gabby’s Guppies and the rest of your constituents if this federal government take-over succeeds?
8. Can we count on you to tell officials in Washington how important federal jobs and funding are to Houghton County?
Editor's addendum: Sarah Green also reported that several supportive local residents attended the Feb. 11 Houghton County Commissioners' meeting, including Frank Fiala, local business owner and former federal employee. "Frank Fiala gave an outstanding statement from his position as a
long-time federal employee and local business owner, and imploring our
elected officials to put aside partisanship and respect the rule of
law," Green wrote in her email report on the meeting. "The commissioners don’t respond to public comments, but at least some of them were listening," she added.
In her report on the Feb. 12 Houghton City Council meeting, Green wrote, "The response was better than I expected. One person stated that he works for the federal government and things are much worse than is being reported in the news. People who have moved for new federal jobs and bought houses have been abruptly fired already. Craig Waddell proposed discussing a resolution about this topic at the next board meeting. A resolution could be addressed to our U.S. representative and senators. So, that will be on the agenda on Feb 26th! Please come and support it this."
You are encouraged to call Michigan 1st District Congressman Jack Bergman to express your views. He may be somewhere in the District Feb. 18-21 (scheduled as district work periods) or you can call him at (202) 225-4735. You will speak to an intern, who can record your position on any issue you want to raise.
Sarah Green plans to attend the following meetings next week:
Hancock City Council:6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb 19. City of Hancock Council meets the third Wednesday of the month. All Council Meetings are held in the Hancock City Hall Council Chambers. Meeting begins at 6 p.m.
Calumet Township:1 p.m. Friday, Feb 28. The Charter Township of Calumet board meetings are held on the last Friday of each month starting at 1 p.m.
If you wish to join Sarah Green's email list of concerned residents or request copies of the above posters, you may email her at sarah@inlandsea.net
Sarah Green is Professor Emerita in Chemistry at Michigan Technological University. Dr. Green's interests include all aspects of environmental chemistry from molecular analytical methods to global climate change, including the science policy interface. Dr. Green served as co-vice chair for the Scientific Advisory Panel on the Sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6), United Nations Environment Programme. Her research interests include, among others, Climate Change Communication, Youth Engagement in Climate Policy and the Great Lakes.
From: Office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel
LANSING -- Today, Feb. 13, 2025, Judge Leo T. Sorokin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered a preliminary injunction enjoining the Trump administration from implementing and enforcing the President’s executive order that attempted to limit birthright citizenship, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. (Inset photo: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Photo courtesy michigan.gov)
The preliminary injunction, effective immediately and nationwide, is specific relief sought by Attorney General Nessel and 17 states, plus Washington D.C. and the City of San Francisco, in their lawsuit filed January 21, 2025, to stop the President’s unlawful action, which violates the Constitution and would harm hundreds of thousands of American children. Since January 23, the administration has been enjoined from implementing the executive order by injunctive relief granted in separate litigation.
Attorney General Nessel issued the following statement:
"I’m grateful to secure this essential relief from enforcement of the plainly unconstitutional executive order that aims to trample the promise of citizenship to children born in our country. This injunction will protect the constitutional rights of thousands of babies born in Michigan and across the nation while we work with our coalition to demonstrate in federal court how this executive order violates the law as plainly as it violates our American values. My commitment and oath of office require this defense of the Constitution’s Citizenship Clause, as it has been faithfully defended for 150 years."
From: Office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. (Photo courtesy michigan.gov)
LANSING -- Federal Judge Angel Kelley of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order after a coalition of 22 attorneys general filed a challenge to the Trump Administration's proposed funding cuts for grants awarded by the National Institute of Health. The order bars the Trump administration from taking any steps to implement, apply or enforce funding cuts for grants issued to universities and other institutions within the plaintiff states until a further order is issued by the Court. Attorney General Nessel issued the following statement in response:
"We are pleased that the Judge has issued this temporary restraining order so quickly after our filing. The proposed cuts were massive and injurious both to our state’s public health and economy. I look forward to continuing this case in court and holding this administration to account when their actions violate the law and harm Michigan residents."
Today, February 10, 2025, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel co-led 22 other attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for unlawfully cutting funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country.
Why these cuts would be injurious to the public
The coalition is challenging the Trump Administration’s attempt to unilaterally cut "indirect cost" reimbursements at every research institution throughout the country. These reimbursements cover expenses to facilitate biomedical research -- like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader could be compromised.
Indirect cost reimbursements are based on each institution’s unique needs, negotiated with the federal government through a carefully regulated process, and then memorialized in an executed agreement. The Trump Administration purports to toss those agreements aside, putting public health and medical advancements at risk. The coalition’s lawsuit seeks to prevent that reckless and illegal conduct.
"This funding supports life saving research," said Nessel. "These dangerous proposed cuts are indiscriminate and without purpose. They will cost jobs here in Michigan and will hamper tens of thousands of research projects -- many of which are currently underway and focus on improving health outcomes and preventing death. I’m proud to lead this effort to restore this essential funding."
Last Friday, February 7, the NIH announced it would abruptly slash indirect cost rates to an across-the-board 15 percent rate, which is significantly less than the cost required to perform cutting edge medical research. The NIH purported to make this cut effective the very next business day, Monday, February 10, giving universities and institutions no time to plan for the enormous budget gaps they are now facing. Without immediate relief, this action could result in the suspension of lifesaving and life-extending clinical trials, disruption of research programs, layoffs, and laboratory closures.
The coalition argues that this action violates the Administrative Procedure Act, including a directive Congress passed during President Trump’s first term to fend off his earlier proposal to drastically cut research reimbursements. That statutory language, still in effect, prohibits the NIH from requiring categorial and indiscriminate changes to indirect cost reimbursements. The coalition is seeking a court order barring the Trump Administration and NIH from implementing the action.
The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants have led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of treatment for cancers of all types, the first sequencing of DNA and the development of the MRI. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.
Most NIH-funding research occurs outside of federal government institutions such as both public and private universities and colleges. In Michigan, this includes over $200 million in funding cuts that support research projects at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University.
This lawsuit is being co-led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan. Joining this coalition are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
The lawsuit was filed today, Feb. 10, in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts and can be found here (PDF).
LANSING -- On Jan. 27, 2025, attorneys for the Department of Attorney General gave oral arguments before Judge James S. Jamo of the Ingham County Circuit Court in Nessel v. Enbridge, seeking to shut down Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The Department argued that the 1953 easement that authorized the location of Line 5 on the bottomlands of the Straits of Mackinac has been invalid since its inception because it violates the Public Trust Doctrine, and that the presence of the pipelines in the Straits violates the Michigan Environmental Protection Act and constitutes a public nuisance. (Inset photo: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Photo courtesy michigan.gov)
"Enbridge has deliberately caused years of delay through procedural tactics, attempting to block Michigan courts from deciding a critical issue that directly impacts its residents," Nessel said. "Line 5 has long been operating in the Straits on an invalid easement, posing a significant threat to the people of this state and our environment. After more than five years, I’m glad we finally had this opportunity to present our case on behalf of the People of Michigan and our Great Lakes in state court."
Displaying signs and chanting their unified beliefs and hopes -- such as "We won't back down," "Hey Hey! Ho! Ho! Donald Trump has got to go!" and "This is what Democracy looks like!" -- thousands of participants in the January 18, 2025, People's March in Washington, DC, head down 17th Street on their way to the Lincoln Memorial. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)
WASHINGTON, DC -- A variety of creative signs and energetic chants characterized the Washington, DC, People's March on a chilly, damp January 18 as thousands of people came out to express their concerns for democracy, the Bill of Rights, women's rights, human rights, the climate crisis, immigration and more -- two days before the inauguration of recently elected and former US president Donald Trump.
Three groups of participants, based on causes they represented, met at three locations that morning and came together on 17th Street to march in one large crowd estimated at about 25,000 toward the National Mall, past the World War II Memorial, to the Lincoln Memorial.
The three locations for the morning preparation allowed people and
groups with like concerns to get together and listen to some talks by
their leaders. These were Farragut Square on 17th Street, which focused
on Democracy, Immigration, Anti-Militarism, and Climate; McPherson
Square on 15th Street, which focused on the critical issues facing DC
and welcomed Black and Brown people from everywhere most impacted by a
system that doesn't keep them safe; and Franklin Park on I Street, which
focused on bodily autonomy, gender justice and LGBTQIA issues.
By noontime the three groups came together on 17th Street to march en
masse to the Lincoln Memorial for the afternoon rally and People's Fair.
The Jan. 18, 2025, People's March in Washington, DC, heads down 17th Street on the way to the Lincoln Memorial. A large number of police on bicycles provide security during the peaceful march. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
Women's March, which held a very successful march in DC in 2017, was joined in organizing this People's March by Abortion Rights Now, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, ACLU and National Women's Law Center. Many other groups participated and supported the People's March, reflecting the priorities of a larger coalition of progressive organizations -- from the Center for Constitutional Rights to the Movement for Black Lives, Grassroots Global Justice, Radical Elders and many more.
According to the Associated Press, Tamika Middleton, managing director of Women’s March, noted the political purpose of a broader-based People's March.
"'We’re recognizing the necessity of having a really broad-based coalition that is bringing people in,' Middleton said. 'We’re asking ourselves how we build a big tent that allows for the kind of multiracial, multi-class, multi-gender mass movement that can make a difference politically in the coming years.'"*
Keweenaw Now joined the groups gathered in Farragut Square, noting a large variety of signs for many causes and interviewing a few of the participants. Most of those interviewed preferred to give only their first names.
Bernadette, who traveled to the march from South Carolina, told Keweenaw Now she had attended the Women's March following Trump's first election and decided to come to DC again for the People's March.
Bernadette from Mt. Pleasant, SC, wearing her pink hat from the Women's March she attended previously in DC, tells Keweenaw Now why she is participating in the People's March. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
Many signs calling attention to the climate crisis were also present in Farragut Square. One very large sign led to an interview with the mother of the sign maker, Jill, from Boston.
Jill, from near Boston, Massachusetts, tells Keweenaw Now why she believes the climate crisis is the number one issue for her. Jill's son designed the sign. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
Also in Farragut Square, a group from the Sierra Club handed out flags and signs.
Sierra Club, one of the main organizers of the People's March, provided signs like this one to call attention to the climate crisis. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)
Zoe, a community organizer for Sierra Club, now living in Maryland, told Keweenaw Now why she works with the environmental group.
Zoe, originally of Bloomington, IN, and a recent resident of Rockville, MD, representing a group from the Sierra Club, talks about her work in community organizing to address issues like climate change. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
Another group with a notable presence in Farragut Square was the Jewish Voice for Peace, Jewish supporters of the Palestinian victims of Israel's aggression.
Hershel, a Maryland resident and a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, tells Keweenaw Now that their group is supporting Palestinians and other groups represented in the People's March.
In Farragut Square, during the gathering of participants in the Jan. 18, 2025, People's March, Hershel, representing Jewish Voice for Peace, tells Keweenaw Now why that group is participating. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
The march continued down 17th Street to the National Mall, passing the World War II Memorial and then gathering on both sides of the reflecting pool facing the Lincoln Memorial.
At the Lincoln Memorial, leaders of various progressive organizations spoke about their work and how it may be threatened by the incoming administration. They encouraged the audience to join them in the fight to protect democracy, diversity and human rights.
The People's March also took place in about 350 cities in the US and internationally in Canada, the UK, France and Poland.***
What is the People's March now?
The People's March is more than just the Jan. 18 event in DC. The march was a call for community. That community defines itself as follows: "The People’s March is a coalition of organizations building community power and working on many issues across the country. Our mobilization on January 18 is one step toward building the unity necessary to win the fights that are most important to us and our communities." ****
The issues that community is working on are listed under 5 Demands:
HOUGHTON -- On Saturday, January 18, nearly 60 people braved icy conditions and bitter wind chill to march in solidarity with others across the country in a People's March supporting the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights in Houghton, Michigan. Marchers gathered at Houghton's Bridgeview Park and carried American flags and signs as they walked across the Portage Lift Bridge to Hancock and then back down to the park.
Marchers gather at Bridgeview Park in Houghton for a few words from organizers before heading up to the Portage Lift Bridge. The flag is at half-staff in honor of the late President Jimmy Carter.
Saturday’s march united people of all ages with various political priorities, but a common theme was equal rights for all people. Many said they appreciated the community aspect of the march -- that they could state their political positions on social media, but to really look out for others in the community requires being together.
Organizer Susan Burack said, "It’s important to do this here in our community. We are part of a nationwide effort, but I feel very strongly that you have to do what you can where you are and we’re here."
Organizer Susan Burack prepares to take the megaphone from William Keith, chair of the Houghton County Democratic Party. Both spoke at Bridgeview Park.
After a welcome by Burack, the gathering began with remarks by William Keith, chair of the Houghton County Democratic Party. He announced that the march was to declare the rights that people want to protect and to promise to be standing for those rights in the future. He gestured to the signs among the crowd, some of which read, "Equal Rights for All," "Freedom of Religion," "Freedom of the Press," "Right to Privacy," and "Liberty and Justice for All."
After opening remarks, marchers proceeded up to Shelden Avenue to cross the Portage Lift Bridge. Conditions were cold and windy, and the sidewalk was not cleared of snow and ice. The temperature was 10 degrees, and phone apps read "Feels like -11℉."
Participants in the March walk up to Shelden Avenue and head for the Lift Bridge.
The line of participants spanned the bridge, and the march was punctuated by frequent bursts of horns blaring and drivers waving in support. Despite the cold, some marchers remained along Shelden Avenue visiting and waving their signs after the march had ended.
Parents of young children were among the participants, including Kevin Trewartha, who said he joined the march in support of human rights and brought his children because of his concern for their future.
Kevin Trewartha notes his reasons for participating in the march.
Terri Frew commented on her support for immigrants as one reason she joined the march.
"I think immigrants are what make this country strong," she said.
Terri Frew speaks of her support for legal immigrants and her concerns about racism and xenophobia.
Jean Ellis, retired educator and co-chair of the Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's in Calumet, carried a sign with a quote by Vice President Kamala Harris that read, "Democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it." Ellis said showing up in the cold weather was a way to stand up for rights that have been threatened.
Jean Ellis speaks about the importance of fighting for rights that are being eroded.
Marcher Kathryn Wyeth mentioned a key phrase in the People's March: "We're not going back!"
Kathryn Wyeth notes all Americans should be represented.
Women's rights were also important to many marchers, including one in Houghton who said, "My name is Julia and I am here because I am young and because there is a future waiting for me that I am not willing to let slide under the rug. I am fighting for my bodily autonomy, I am fighting for my rights and our rights and every single person in America."
One participant, who wished to remain anonymous, had this to say: "I believe that all Americans -- whether you’re Democrat, you’re conservative, and even MAGA -- I think we all want the same thing. We want a safe country, to earn a living wage, to have housing, to provide for our families, safety for our kids and grandkids. We want to leave a better future than what we’ve been given here. I’m just concerned that until propaganda media is taken down that people aren’t going to be able to listen because their minds are just so closed off. My hope is for the future."
Following the march, organizer Susan Burack said she appreciated everyone coming out in such cold weather.
"WE are part of a nationwide effort," Burack noted, "but politically we know that more people didn’t vote for Trump than did. He does not have a mandate. We can’t just go away for four years. People are saying we can’t watch the news anymore but we need to be there. We need to be aware of what’s going on and be active."
*Editor's Note: Guest author Alexandra Larsen, of Atlantic Mine, has worked as an Integrated Marketing Communication Specialist/Editor for Michigan Tech and enjoys writing. While her background is in business and marketing, Alexandra has served as a School Volunteer at South Range Elementary School for the past 10 years and is Vice President of their Parent Teachers Organization. She is also the mother of five children and is active in church and community volunteer work.
HOUGHTON, D.C -- A People's March will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 18, 2025, in Houghton, Mich., to celebrate the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. This March is in solidarity with marches in Washington, D.C., and across our country, where people will be marching to show support for our democracy.
Participants will gather at Bridgeview Park in Houghton to hear introductory remarks, then walk to the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, carrying flags and signs related to Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Assembly, Separation of Powers, and more. (For visibility, signage with letters at least 5 inches in size is recommended.)
This is a time to unite around our democratic values.
"We march for our grandchildren, the environment, the climate, wildlife, human rights, choice, healthcare, immigration, labor, for an economy that works for everyone, for free speech, the rule of law, and so much more," says Susan Burack, co-organizer with Vicky Bergvall, of the Houghton People's March. "Join us in marching for our future."
For more information, call Susan Burack 906-482-3270 or email ssburack@gmail.com or Vicky Bergvall v.bergvall.MT@gmail.com.
People's March in D.C. -- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025
The People’s March in Washington, D.C., will be a day of joyful resistance, community building, and powerful action. Participants will hear from inspiring speakers who will energize and unite them. The March offers an opportunity to connect with resources to sustain long-term resistance and participate in trainings that will equip you with critical skills to protect yourself and your community. Together, marchers will remind the nation that real power lies with the people -- and the people's resistance is unshakable.
Click on this image for a larger version to read the list of groups that are supporting the January 18 People's March.
SCHEDULE OF THE DAY IN D.C.:
10 a.m. - Meet Up at Kick Off Locations*
11 a.m. - March Steps Off from multiple locations
1 p.m. - Rally and People’s Fair Start**
3 p.m. - Rally and People’s Fair End
*Kick Off Locations. The march will kick-off at 10 a.m. in separate locations in downtown DC. While many participants hold intersecting identities and have varied issue-based interests, marchers are encouraged to find a kickoff spot that most aligns with the body of activist work that they are able to engage in for the future:
-- Farragut Square - 912 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20006 This location will focus on Democracy, Immigration, Anti-Militarism, and Climate, and include groups like Rising Majority, Popular Democracy, Sierra Club, and Democratic Socialists of America.
-- McPherson Square - 901 15th St NW STE 700, Washington, DC 20005 This location will focus on the critical issues facing DC. It will include Harriet's Wildest Dreams, Free DC, Palestinian Youth Movement DC, and many other DC-focused organizations.
-- Franklin Park - 1332 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005 This location will focus on bodily autonomy, gender justice and LGBTQIA issues. It will include Women’s March, Gender Liberation Movement, Generation Common Good, and others.
**Rally Location The People’s March will culminate at the Lincoln Memorial, 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW, Washington, DC 20002, for the rally and People’s Fair.
Organizers encourage taking the Metro for the D.C. March. See Metro info HERE.
Join UPEC's Kathleen Heideman for TAKING IT PERSONALLY: U.P. Mining Threats, Part II, Feb.20
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) will present "TAKING IT PERSONALLY: U.P. Mining Threats, Part II," a free livestream featuring Kathleen Heideman of UPEC's Mining Action Group, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, on ZOOM. Join Kathleen for the second of a three-part overview of mining threats in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including maps, images, and poetry. In Session II, Kathleen will discuss changes at Eagle Mine, and the Revex "battery metals" facility proposed for Marquette County. A question-answer session will follow. An environmentalist working in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Kathleen has completed residencies with the National Park Service, watersheds, research stations, foundations, and the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Artists and Writers Program and serves on UPEC's board. She is the author of The Caving Grounds (forthcoming in 2025 from Modern History Press), A Brief Report on the Human Animal, and Psalms of the Early Anthropocene. To join on Zoom go to https://zoom.us/j/93898736974?pwd=dzikJdquthAa6NDlpPutZaXwN9muZt.1 Meeting ID: 938 9873 6974 Passcode: 321903 or click on photo of Kathleen above. (Photo courtesy UPEC) If you missed Part I of this series, watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb2msaxZAZo
Houghton Walks for Ukraine now on Sundays, 3 p.m.
Join Yoopers for Ukraine for their weekly Walk for Ukraine at 3 p.m. every Sunday. Meet on the Houghton side of the Portage Lift Bridge. Flags and signs provided. (Photo courtesy Yoopers for Ukraine)
Remember hero Martin Luther King Jr. today, Jan. 20
Thanks to Heather Cox Richardson for reminding us of heroes and of the last speech of hero Martin Luther King Jr. -- just a day before he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Click on photo above for his 'I've been to the mountaintop' speech. (Photo: Martin Luther King Jr. at a 1964 press conference. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
President Biden declares Jan. 9, 2025, National Day of Mourning
Thursday, January 9, 2025, is a National Day of Mourning to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr., as declared by President Joe Biden in his Dec. 29, 2024 Proclamation Announcing the Death of James Earl Carter, Jr. Click on image above for the Proclamation. (Photo: Jimmy Carter official White House portrait by Herbert E. Abrams 1982. Photo courtesy Houghton County Democratic Party)
Jimmy Carter, America’s 39th President, passes away at age 100
The members of the Democratic Party of Houghton County (HCDP) were saddened to learn this Sunday of the passing of 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The world has lost a shining example of a life lived in pursuit of the highest ideals of citizenship.President Carter served heroically in the U.S. Navy as a submariner, helping with the aftermath of the 1952 NRX nuclear reactor incident at Chalk River. He inherited his family's peanut farm in Georgia and managed it to prosperity, bringing this experience to the governorship of Georgia and then to the Presidency.As President, he established the Departments of Energy and Education, bringing national authority to bear on two issues that shape Democratic priorities to this day. He installed solar panels on the White House, taking a leading role in advancing what has become a crucial technology for clean power. He mediated the Camp David Accords, one of the most influential peace initiatives in the Middle East for a generation. ... More:CLICK ON LOGO ABOVE to read the rest of this Dec. 31, 2024, newsletter from HCDP.
The 10th Annual Benefit Concert to fund handicap accessibility for the Ontonagon Theater of Performing Arts on Oct. 5, 2024, was a successful music event in the theater. Local musicians celebrated traditional music "From the Roaring 20s to the Birth of Rock-n-Roll." Click on photo above for a video of a popular old song with audience participation. According to Wendy Peterson, producer and director of the concerts, the funds collected for the project now total more than $90,000. To donate go to ontonagontheater.org and click on ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT. (Photo and video by Keweenaw Now)
City of Hancock new garbage, recycling update
The City of Hancock has a new schedule for garbage and recycling pickups with all pickups beginning at 6 a.m. Garbage/trash pickups for east and west Hancock are still on Monday and Wednesday respectively except for certain holidays including Labor Day (Monday's pickup will be Tuesday, Sept. 3). Trash bags still need stickers attached. Recycling for all will be on Thursdays. No glass. Click on logo above for details.
Pipe Out Paddle UP picnic, Water is Life Festival Aug. 31: Call to Shut Down Line 5
The Pipe Out Paddle Up (POPU) family picnic to Shut Down Line 5 is getting ready to make a splash! Dozens of donated kayaks will be launching from Kiwanis Beach in St. Ignace from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, August 31! If you have your own kayak or floating device please bring it! A water station will be set up and lots of yummy free food. Please bring a refillable water bottle and food bundle (plate, bowl, fork and spoon) with you. You can make a donation today at bit.ly/popu24 and check out the website at https://www.anishinaabekcaucus.org/our-work/popu or click on poster above. Special thanks to Mackinac Straits Watersports and Black to the Land Coalition for the kayak and canoe donations! All donations are tax-deductible! For more info on donations email team@glwpn.org. In 2020, the State of Michigan terminated Enbridge's permit to operate Line 5 through the Great Lakes, 70 tributaries throughout Michigan, AND the SW Detroit Marathon refinery that is harming the community there every day. Enbridge line 5 pipeline must be permanently decommissioned to protect the Great Lakes! The Water is Life Festival in Petoskey follows the POPU family picnic. For details go to https://www.waterislifefestival.org/
Reception for Art by Krissy Sundstrom Aug. 28 at The Well Read Raccoon Books and Curiosities
The Well Read Raccoon Books and Curiosities book shop, 314 Shelden Avenue in Houghton, will host an opening reception for Krissy Sundstrom of Blackberry Art Studio from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, as she takes a break from picking ACTUAL blackberries to discuss her art work and process. Described by students recently as "restful," some of her latest work will be displayed in the Well Read Raccoon through September. Light refreshments wil be available. This is a family friendly event, but please monitor your youngunz. Photo: Art by Krissy Sundstrom. (Photo courtesy The Well Read Raccoon Books and Curiosities)
Tilden Mine Permit Application withdrawn following public and agency concerns
MARQUETTE -- Cleveland Cliffs withdrew its permit application to fill 77.9 acres of wetlands and 4,661 linear feet of streams with mine waste as of June 20, 2024. The withdrawal was recommended by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) due to unresolved concerns about tribal coordination and concerns, as well as cumulative impacts to the Escanaba River watershed. The public comment period for the wetland permit application ended March 9, but saw a significant amount of high-quality public comments due to advocacy by local environmental groups Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior (CSCLS) and the Mining Action Group of the UP Environmental Coalition (MAG-UPEC). Over 500 public comments were submitted, citing concerns about inadequate consideration of impact areas, including insufficient biological surveys to determine presence of protected species....Click on photo of wetlands above for details. (Photo courtesy Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior)
Update: UPEC July 15 Livestream, Community Solar in L'Anse, is on YouTube
What is community solar, and how can it work for communities in Michigan? If you missed UPEC's (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's) Livestream on July 15, when Drs. Richelle Winkler and Chelsea Schelly, joined by Bob LaFave, shared their experiences working to support a community solar project for the Village of L'Anse municipal utility, you can view it on YouTube. Learn how communities can work toward a community solar project and how community solar can benefit residents, including low-income households. Both Dr. Winkler and Dr. Schelly were working in the Department of Social Sciences at Michigan Technological University while engaged with this project, and they share their insights and experiences as well as documents outlining the process and the outcome for L'Anse. Bob LaFave, Village Manager of L’Anse, was key to the project. Dr. Schelly is currently a professor of Sociology at Michigan Tech, and Dr. Winkler is now a Research Social Scientist at the USDA Economic Research Service. Click on photo above for YouTube livestream of this presentation.
Copper Beacon
Copper Beacon continues to cover local news with a whole new look and a board of directors. Click on logo to learn more.
UPEC Livestream on two mining issues TONIGHT, Feb. 15, via Zoom, Facebook
Two major mining operations are seeking to expand and pose devastating threats to our water -- Ishpeming's Tilden Mine and the proposed Copperwood Mine on the coast of Lake Superior on the western edge of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Join a livestream presentation from UPEC and Protect the Porkies at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, Feb. 15 EST, to discuss the content of both mining issues. Ishpeming's Tilden Mine is seeking a permit to expand its footprint and permanently bury almost 80 acres of wetlands, along with hundreds more acres of land, several freshwater ponds, and almost a mile of streams, under waste rock from the mine. Kathleen Heideman of UPEC's Mining Action Group will discuss the environmental impacts of the proposal and how to prepare for the online Public Hearing on February 28th. The proposed Copperwood Mine is located on the coast of Lake Superior on the western edge of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. On January 30, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) almost passed a $50 million grant for the Copperwood project -- an amount that would double Copperwood's current bank balance and could trigger other large investments allowing the mine to proceed with construction. Copperwood would be the closest sulfide mine to Lake Superior in history. Thankfully, a few MSF board members expressed doubts about the grant at the last meeting, delaying the final vote to their Feb. 27 MSF Board Meeting. Tom Grotewohl of Protect the Porkies will outline steps you can take to help defeat this grant. If you missed this Livestream on Feb. 15, the video recording is available on UPEC Facebook Livestreams. Click on photo above to access it.
New book by Carol Rose: From There to Hear, A Journey Out of Silence
Carol Rose, Keweenaw resident, shares the story of her hearing loss and subsequent bilateral cochlear implants in this new book. Click on book cover to read about the book and stores where it is now available.
Petition to recognize Holodomor as Genocide
November is Holodomor Awareness Month and an important petition is collecting signatures to get President Biden’s attention. While both chambers of Congress have officially recognized the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people, never has an active president of the USA done the same. On the 90th Anniversary year this petition urges President Biden to sign a proclamation that justly calls the Holodomor what it was, a genocide. Please take a minute to sign this petition and send to someone you know. #Holodomor90
Ukraine Trust Chain helps Ukrainians affected by war
If you can't attend the Walks for Ukraine, consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Ukraine Trust Chain, an organization that funds volunteer teams in Ukraine who deliver medicine, food, generators and stoves. They winterize homes, run shelters, repair homes and schools and evacuate people out of danger, providing sustained support into the areas of greatest humanitarian need. Click on blue logo above to read their latest newsletter.
CCRI request: Complete and share Hazardous Waste Survey
Copper Country Recycling Initiative (CCRI) requests that we share their new Hazardous Waste Survey. Please click on logo above to complete the survey and share the link to the survey -- https://coppercountryrecyclereuse.com/hazardouswastesurvey -- with other Houghton County residents (email, social media etc.). CCRI would like to get as much data as possible to assist in applying for grants for collection events. This is something you can do for Earth Day in just a few minutes! For more CCRI events visit https://coppercountryrecyclereuse.com/
Copper Beacon: Environmental Safety of Keweenaw Waters Resort questioned by MDHHS
Restoring the Balance -- Wolves and Our Relationship with Nature (Video recording available)
What does a healthy relationship with the natural world look like? Are humans the only persons to inhabit Earth—or do we share the planet with uncounted nonhuman persons? For more than a quarter century biologist John Vucetich, Michigan Tech Distinguished Professor, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, has studied the wolves, and the moose that sustain them, of the boreal forest of Isle Royale National Park. Reading from his new book, Restoring the Balance, he tackles profound unresolved questions that will shape our future understanding of what it means to be good to life on earth. If you missed this event on Monday, Nov. 7, click on above photo for the video recording through Husky Bites, Michigan Tech College of Engineering.
Click on book cover above to order John Vucetich's new book from Amazon.com. It is also available from Johns Hopkins University Press. See: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12540/restoring-balance
Native American Voter Protection Hotline
From Michigan Anishinaabek Caucus: If you have problems at the voting booth or with the ballot, call the Native American Voter Protection Hotline!! This includes TRIBAL ID not being accepted as valid. The county clerks have been trained on this issue. TRIBAL ID IS VALID ID. Click on image for larger version.
FEATURED SPONSORS
Keweenaw Now thanks the following sponsors for their continued support.
Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition
Click on UPEC's new logo above to access their latest livestream presentations and discussions.
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's mission is protecting and maintaining the unique environmental qualities of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan by educating the public and acting as a watchdog to industry and government.
Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party
Click on logo above for the Facebook page. See also the Anishinaabek Caucus Web site at https://www.anishinaabekcaucus.org or email AnishinaabekCaucus@gmail.com for more info.
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve
Click above for the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve Web site and click on their blog for their latest news.
MORE NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
See below for news briefs you may have missed and links to groups, organizations and books we recommend!
Copyright Policy
For our copyright policy, please click here or email us at keweenawnews@gmail.com if you wish to use any of the photos or video clips by Keweenaw Now. Photos by guest photographers are copyrighted and you must seek their permission for re-use. This policy applies to the photos in our slide shows as well. Please do not share photos taken by guest photographers without their permission.
Rozsa Center (UPDATED): New guidelines for public events
The Rozsa Center is adjusting guidelines for public events held in the James and Margaret Black Performance Hall, McArdle Theatre or Rozsa Galleries. Click on photo above for the updated policy.
UPDATE: Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra UNQUIET EARTH concert now on video livestream
If you missed the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra Oct. 15 performance with the Michigan premiere of UNQUIET EARTH by MIT composer, Elena Ruehr, a U.P. native, in the Rozsa Center, click on image above and on View Stream for a video recording of the entire concert on YouTube.This atmospheric work explores "the elements -- Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether --with a sense of both hope and concern for the planet." Also featured is William Herschel’s Symphony No. 20, an 18th century gem re-discovered and edited by Michigan Tech Physics professor, Bryan Suits. The program is bookended by the Blue Danube Waltzes and Romanian Rhapsody No. 1.
Garbage stickers to replace Hancock City garbage bags
The City of Hancock’s bag vendor has been unable to produce garbage bags on a consistent and reliable basis; therefore, Hancock has made the switch to garbage stickers instead of bags. Residents may use garbage bags of choice, with the requirement that the bags are a minimum of 1.2 mil thick and no greater than 35 gallons (bags must not exceed 30 pounds in weight). Stickers will be sold in sheets of 5 for $5 each sheet. Stickers will be available for purchase at City Hall, Holiday Gas Station, Krist Oil, Keweenaw Co-op, Pat’s IGA, Risto’s Hardware. As the current inventory of bags is depleted at the different locations, they will be replaced with stickers. City of Hancock trash stickers will need to be purchased and placed around the top of the bag where the bag ties. Please contact Hancock City Hall (906)482-2720 with any questions in regards to this change.
Oil and Water Don't Mix: Submit comments to US Army Corps on EIS for Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project
Oil and Water Don't Mix offers the opportunity to submit comments to the US Army Corps of Engineers as they prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel project. Click on photo above to sign (and edit if you wish) a letter that includes several good reasons against the tunnel, which could be a disaster for the Great Lakes. (Photo of Mackinac Bridge courtesy US Army Corps of Engineers)
Red Flags: Enbridge's proposed Great Lakes Tunnel Project under Mackinac Straits
If you want to learn more about Enbridge's Great Lakes Tunnel Project from scientific experts who have extensively reviewed Enbridge Energy’s proposed Great Lakes Tunnel Project for the Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, click on the image above. (Image courtesy Oil and Water Don't Mix)
UPEC livestream rebroadcast: Latest on Line 5 available on Facebook
UPEC (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition), following a rebroadcast of a July 28th livestream hosted by FLOW and Oil and Water Don’t Mix, in partnership with the Bay Mills Indian Community, has posted the event on the UPEC Facebook page. Four first-class speakers -- FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood, who hosted the session, and presenters Whitney Gravelle, President, Bay Mills Indian Community; Zach Welcker, FLOW Legal Director; and Sean McBrearty, Campaign Coordinator, Oil and Water Don’t Mix -- delivered the latest on Line 5 in this livestream. Presenters answered questions from the audience and discussed recent developments in the widespread effort to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac and stop the proposed oil tunnel. The online session was supported in part by a grant award from the Mackinac Island Community Foundation’s Natural Resources and Preservation Fund. If you missed the July 28 Livestream or the Aug. 4 rebroadcast, click on poster above to view it on UPEC's Facebook page.
Michigan’s wolf management plan: What do tribes think?
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) will present a livestream discussion with guests Nichole Biber, LTBB (Waganakising) Odawa Tribal Citizen; and Erin Johnston, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, at 8 p.m. (ET) / 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday, July 21, on Zoom and Facebook Live. They will discuss tribal views of the DNR's proposed updated wolf management plan. Click on photo for details.
COVID case rates in 5 counties stable with low transmission as of June 28
Case rates in the past week stayed relatively stable, with all five counties served by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department in a low level of community transmission. One person died in Baraga County with COVID-19, bringing the total deaths from the virus in the region to 275. Houghton County had 39 cases in 7 days, Keweenaw County only 3. Click on image above for details.
On June 18 CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that all children 6 months through 5 years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This expands eligibility for vaccination to nearly 20 million additional children and means that all Americans ages 6 months and older are now eligible for vaccination. Read more at cdc.gov.
95 COVID cases, one death in 5-county area last week
Four of the five counties in the Western U.P. are in the medium or high community transmission level. In total 95 people in the region tested positive in the seven-day period and one person in Houghton County died. Houghton County had 46 cases in the 7-day period and moved from low to medium transmission level. Houghton and Baraga counties still have the lowest vaccination rates of the 5 counties. Click on image above for details.
Benefit for Ukraine: May 26 Evening of Art and Cinema
Yoopers for Ukraine hosted An Evening of Art and Cinema Thursday, May 26, at the Rozsa. If you missed the event, click on photo for a video from Nadia Packauskas.
UPEC Livestream Wednesday, May 25: "Mobilizing Grassroots to protect Menominee River"
A scenic view of the Menominee River, near the proposed Back 40 mine site. (Keweenaw Now file photo)
[UPDATE: If you missed this event, the video recording is available at https://www.facebook.com/upenvironment/videos/400593088651697] The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition’s Livestream Series will present “Mobilizing the Grassroots to Protect the Menominee River, at 8 p.m. (ET) 7 p.m. (CT) Wednesday, May 25, on Facebook Live and Zoom. Guest speakers are Dr. Al Gedicks, environmental sociologist and Indigenous rights activist; Anahkwet (Guy Reiter), executive Director of Menīkānaehkem, Inc.; and Dale Burie, Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River. These three activists have been fighting to save the Menominee River from the proposed Back 40 sulfide mine for gold, zinc and other metals. Learn about their struggles and get an update on the present state of their grassroot efforts to protect this beautiful river and nearby Menominee cultural resources. Facebook: https://facebook.com/upenvironment/live Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86075269466?pwd=OFZCTk1ERHdJSEJOUlNWbW5UaTA3QT09 Meeting ID: 860 7526 9466 Passcode: 2022 Click on photo above for details.
Memorial for Bill Sewell to be May 21 in Rozsa Lobby
A memorial of William (Bill) Sewell’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022, in the Rozsa Lobby at Michigan Tech. Guests are encouraged but not required to wear masks. Some masks will be available near the entrances. Attendees may sign the guest book at the south entrance (near the masks) and socialize awhile while finding a seat. A piano prelude performed by Dave Bezotte will indicate that the program is about to start. Some of Bill's friends and Michigan Tech colleagues will speak. Following the program, light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Anyone who knew Bill and wishes to spend time with his friends is welcome to attend. Eleven members of his family members plan to be present as well. Those who wish to memorialize Bill may contact a favorite charity or the Omega House, which he helped establish. Click on the photo above to access his obituary, provided by Memorial Chapel. Photo: Bill Sewell at the tip of South Africa during the 2014 tour with Michigan Tech's choir. (Photo courtesy Ruth Robertson)
UPDATE FROM STATE OF MICHIGAN
Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announces that all Michiganders ages 50 and up and moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals over age 12 may choose to receive a second booster vaccine. Read more at Michigan.gov.
MDHHS shares FDA’s updated guidelines for J and J COVID-19 vaccine
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is updating vaccine providers across the state about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limiting the authorized use on the administration of the Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine. Read more at Michigan.gov.
Updates from CDC and State of Michigan
CDC Recommendation for Masks and Travel:
At this time, CDC recommends that everyone aged 2 and older -- including passengers and workers -- properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, etc.) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, etc.). When people properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator, they protect themselves and those around them, and help keep travel and public transportation safer for everyone. Read more at cdc.gov. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reminds Michigan residents to test, get vaccinated and boosted as COVID-19 cases are expected to rise through May. MDHHS is reminding Michiganders to participate in best practices to reduce risks of COVID-19 and prevent spread at spring gatherings including proms, graduations and other holidays and to make sure they are up-to-date on vaccines. Read more at michigan.gov.
UPDATE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Data continue to show the importance of vaccination and booster doses to protect individuals both from infection and severe outcomes of COVID-19. For adults and adolescents eligible for a first booster dose, these shots are safe and provide substantial benefit. Read more at cdc.gov. COVID-19 vaccination continues to help protect adults against severe illness with COVID-19, including hospitalizations and death, according to two reports released. Read more at cdc.gov.
Open Discussion on Ukraine today, March 8, at Portage Library
If you missed this discussion see the video recording by Evan Zimmermann of UPEC. (Click on image for link)
UPEC Livestream Feb. 24: Sarah Green speaks on MTU delegation to COP26 in Glasgow
Professor Sarah Green, second from left, is pictured here with some members of Michigan Tech's COP26 Delegation: from left, Alexis Pascaris, Jessica Daignault, Shardul Tiwari and Kathleen Brosemer. (Photo courtesy Alexis Pascaris) UPDATE: If you missed this livestream, click on above photo to access the video recording, and other UPEC recordings, on Facebook. A delegation from Michigan Tech participated in the COP26 International Climate Negotiation meeting in Glasgow in November 2021. The group was part of the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education (YEAH), which supported students to present several events at the Climate Summit and to observe formal and informal presentations by the U.S. delegation, meet people from around the world, and observe the negotiation process. Sarah Green, Michigan Tech professor of chemistry, who led MTU's delegation, presents "The Glasgow Climate Summit as experienced by MTU students" at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT via livestream on Facebook and Zoom as guest of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC). Sarah Green is interested in all aspects of environmental chemistry from molecular analytical methods to global climate change, including the science policy interface. Dr. Green served as co-vice chair for the Scientific Advisory Panel on the Sixth Global Environmental Outlook, United Nations Environment Program. She was awarded a Jefferson Science Fellowship to serve in the Bureau of East Asia-Pacific Affairs in the U.S. Department of State (2013-14).
WUPHD advice on home testing for COVID
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) recommends residents take the following steps when testing positive on an at-home COVID-19 test: - Isolate for 5 days from the start of your symptoms or if no symptoms, the day you took the test. - Notify all your close contacts that they have been exposed and should quarantine as recommended. - End isolation only after symptoms are improved, you have had no fever for 24 hours, and continue to mask for an additional 5 days. "Home tests are a great tool for early detection and prevention of further spread; however, their results cannot be verified, meaning that positives are only considered to be suspect cases and are not included in total case counts," said Kate Beer, WUPHD Health Officer. "Home tests cannot be used to document cases for return to work letters; a follow up lab test is recommended if you need such
documentation. Due to resource shortages, the WUPHD is not currently asking residents to report
positive home tests to the agency. All residents should take precautions by staying home if you are not feeling well, masking in public or crowded spaces, following quarantine guidelines, and getting vaccinated or your booster dose. Vaccinations continue to be our best defense to reduce the severity of symptoms, prevent hospitalizations and death."
MDHHS updates COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools
On Jan. 10, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its K-12 school quarantine and isolation guidance to reflect recent updates made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The guidance modifies or shortens the quarantine and isolation periods to as short as five days in some circumstances. Click on image above for details.
5 Things you need to know about Line 5
Gov. Whitmer has ordered Enbridge to shut down Line 5 by May 12. Why? Click above for a short video and details from Oil and Water Don't Mix.
Houghton County Democratic Party
City of Hancock
Visit the City of Hancock Web site by clicking on above logo to see their news, announcements and more ...
Parade of Nations 2021 Photo Gallery from Late Edition
Click on image above to learn about Copper Country Audubon and their many birding projects, as well as local webcams for viewing birds in action.
Gratiot Lake Conservancy
Governor Whitmer accelerates "MI Vacc to Normal" plan
Photo courtesy michigan.gov.
On May 20 Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an updated "Vacc to Normal" plan, which outlines steps Michiganders can take to emerge from this pandemic. As of June 1, capacity limits will lift for outdoor events. Additionally, indoor capacity limits will increase to 50 percent, allowing indoor social gatherings such as weddings and funerals to move closer to normalcy. As of July 1, the state will no longer limit capacity at indoor or outdoor gatherings. "As Michiganders have stepped up to get vaccinated and the CDC has released new guidance on masks, we are adapting the MI Vacc to Normal challenge to keep up," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Click here for details.
Health Department returns to 10-Day Quarantine for Covid-19
Effective May 7, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) is recommending a return to a 10-day active monitoring or quarantine period for close contacts. The decision to reduce the quarantine period is in line with state and federal guidelines and will offer consistency across the Upper Peninsula. Close contacts can return to normal activities after the 10-day period, however, they should continue to monitor symptoms up to 14 days from their last contact with an infected person. The new recommendation will apply retroactively to people currently in quarantine. People who are two weeks past their completed Covid-19 vaccination series do not need to quarantine. For additional information please visit wuphd.org.
Gov. Whitmer introduces "MI Vacc to Normal" challenge
Image courtesy Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
On April 29, 2021, Governor Gretchen Whitmer unveiled the "MI Vacc to Normal" plan as the state continues to push toward its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders ages 16 years or older. To facilitate this goal, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will base future epidemic order actions on four vaccination-based milestones that, once achieved, will enable Michigan to take a step toward normalcy. Click here to read more from the Small Business Association of Michigan.
League of Women Voters, Portage Library to co-host Town Hall on "Re-Districting in Michigan" Apr. 20
The League of Women Voters and Portage Lake District Library will co-host a Town Hall presentation on "Re-Districting in Michigan" from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Apr. 20, via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting HERE. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you missed the Apr. 17 League of Women Voters of the Copper Country 61st Recorded Annual Meeting held at 1 p.m. on April 17, 2021, with speaker Pat Gotschalk on "The Legal Process: Thoughts on the Transition from Ruth Bader Ginsberg to Amy Coney Barrett," the recording of the meeting is available HERE.
VACCINE UPDATE: Pause in Johnson and Johnson vaccine administration locally
Because of the pause in the use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, called for by federal health agencies, the Western UP Health Department (WUPHD) reports some changes in scheduling vaccine clinics that were announced in this column. The community vaccination clinic scheduled for Thursday, Apr. 15, at Michigan Tech's Student Development Complex (SDC) will still take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but the Moderna vaccine will be given, by appointment, instead of Johnson and Johnson. To make an appointment, sign up for the WUPHD COVID Vaccine Waitlist here.
We have removed other announcements about Johnson and Johnson vaccine clinics until further notice. Anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to receive a vaccine in Michigan. Click here for more details.
Vaccine availability
Copper Country Strong has updates on vaccine availability at Walgreens in Houghton and Ironwood and Snyders in Calumet. See the full list of places you can get a vaccine by visiting coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine
UPEC Apr. 9 livestream discussion on propane and electricity still on Facebook
UPDATE: The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) hosted a discussion, "Propane and Electricity: Keeping the Heat on and Powering Up Our Grid," with Jenn Hill -- a board member of the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, a Marquette City Council member, and a member of the UP Energy Task Force -- on April 9. You can still access this livestream event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/upenvironment/videos/3803910703027349
Propane in the UP has become another battleground in the fight to close Line 5. Enbridge, the owner of the pipeline, has been waging a propaganda campaign with its allies that is meant to create fear, alarm, and confusion about what would happen to propane supplies if the line is shut down. Hill explains how the recommendations crafted by the task force on alternative sources for propane became a political football. She also discusses work done by the task force this past year on our electrical generation capacity. Will solar and wind projects become the norm? What’s in store for consumers with our widely varying utility bills? Is electrification of transportation feasible in the UP? And more ...
COVID-19 Variant B.1.1.7 identified in Houghton County
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) notified the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) that the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories identified the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 in five Houghton County cases.
The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant, thought to have emerged in the United Kingdom, has since been detected in many countries and states. Compared to the original virus, the B.1.1.7 variant is approximately 50 percent more transmissible, leading to faster spread and potentially increasing the numbers of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
"When a variant is identified or suspected, additional measures take place, such as a strict 14-day quarantine," said Kate Beer, WUPHD health officer. "A new variant in our community is concerning since it can be related to higher transmission rates. Residents across the jurisdiction are reminded to continue practicing mitigation strategies including mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing and getting a vaccine as soon as it is available to you. These actions help slow the spread of the virus."
With the high transmission rate of the B.1.1.7 variant, vaccination is more important than ever. Vaccination is currently open to anyone 16 and older. Vaccinations can be scheduled with local providers by calling 2-1-1 or by visiting www.coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine. For more info visit www.wupdhd.org or www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.
COVID-19 Vaccines and fetal cells
At michigan.gov/covidvaccine you can find a ton of data related to the vaccines that are available to Michigan residents. One datasheet available on the website includes information on COVID-19 Vaccines and Fetal Cells. The page includes facts about fetal cell usage in the vaccine development and deployment. In addition there are links to how various faith organizations have addressed this. Click here to view COVID-19 Vaccine and Fetal Cells Data Sheet.
Beginning Monday, March 22, Michigan is expanding access to safe, effective COVID-19 Vaccine to include all Michiganders 50 and older and to include Michiganders ages 16 and older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome. Beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a vaccine. Learn how to put yourself on your local waiting list at coppercountrystrong.com/vaccineor by calling 2-1-1.
Will getting a COVID-19 vaccine protect against new variants?
All three variants of concern are thought to have a higher rate of transmission than the SARS-CoV2 that has been circulating across the U.S. for months. This is concerning because more cases of COVID-19 would increase the number of people who need clinical care. Vaccination remains an important tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19, in addition to other protective actions like mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing. Studies about the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants are ongoing. Read more ...
Community Art Show: "The Art of Valuing Water"
Grinnell. Acrylics on canvas, by Emily Gemignani.
World Water Day 2021 is about what water means to people and other creatures, and how we can better protect this vital resource. The Michigan Tech World Water Day Art Show is an opportunity for local artists and community members of all ages to share what water means to them through creativity and creation! Click here to view the Gallery.
UP Health System-Portage vaccine update
At this time the UP Health System-Portage, invites those interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to call their vaccine voicemail line at (906) 483-1775 and leave a message with name and call back number. For info on other vaccine providers click here and scroll down to HOW DO YOU GET THE VACCINE?
Vaccination scheduling help available
If you are a Michigan resident within the current prioritization category and you do not have access to the internet or need further assistance finding information on vaccination or scheduling an appointment, if available, contact the COVID-19 Hotline (888-535-6136) to speak to a 2-1-1 specialist. People in Michigan can dial 2-1-1 from any phone for help in getting information about the COVID-19 vaccine, and, if in an eligible group, can be placed on a local waiting list to receive a vaccine. Click above on Copper Country Strong for more details.
New book by Michigan Tech's Joshua Pearce
Joshua Pearce -- Michigan Tech Richard Witte Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Director of Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology (MOST) Lab -- has published this new book, available in printed and digital versions.
Designed for beginners, Professor Joshua Pearce's Create, Share, and Save Money Using Open-Source Projects is filled with ways to save money by making use of free and open-source technologies on a wide range of products. The book covers the potential of DIY manufacturing and recycling projects and even how to score deeply discounted big-ticket items, including housing and electricity. All of these tricks should help people in the Keweenaw since he has tested many of them here. The book is for sale at Amazon and other book sellers in hard copy and digital copy. Click above on the book cover to see a list of places to purchase it along with many free resources from the book.
WUPHD: First and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine must be same brand
The Western UP Health Department (WUPHD) reminds people that your second dose of COVID-19 vaccine must be the same brand as your first dose. Second doses of the Pfizer vaccine are given 21 days after the first dose and Moderna is given 28 days after the first dose. Current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control recommends that the second dose not be delayed more than 6 weeks (42 days) from the first dose for either vaccine.
WUPHD was allocated the Moderna brand and does not expect to receive a Pfizer allocation from the State of Michigan. If your first dose was the Pfizer brand, the WUPHD is unable to provide your second dose. You will need to wait until your first dose provider has enough Pfizer vaccine on hand to schedule a second dose clinic. The State is working on allocating additional Pfizer vaccine to our area within the next few weeks.
WUPHD extends appreciation for continued patience from the community as local healthcare partners work through this process with the extreme limited availability of vaccine.
Click here for more info on COVID-19 vaccine and scheduling an appointment with WUPHD.
Updated MDHHS Order allows contact sports to resume with risk reduction measures Feb. 8
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)hasupdated its current epidemic order to allow contact sports to resume as of Monday, Feb. 8, provided masks are worn during practices and competition. If masks cannot be worn, participants must be regularly tested for COVID-19 consistent with guidelines issued by MDHHS. Safety protocols like wearing masks and testing will help keep kids, coaches and families safe and allow our schools to remain open for in-person instruction. The order remains in effect through Monday, March 29. Read more...
Assistance available for businesses seeking new state and federal loans and grants
Western U.P. organizations and local governments are offering assistance for businesses to apply for new state and local grant and loan funding programs. The federal relief act signed into law in December 2020 will provide another round of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA), which are offered under similar terms as those in the original CARES Act.
In Michigan, the Small Business Survival Grant Program will support businesses and industries that have been affected by the "gatherings and face mask order" and currently need working capital to support operations after experiencing a decline in revenue.
Zero Visitor Protocol implemented for inpatients a UP Health System - Portage
For the safety of patients, employees, and medical staff, UP Health System - Portage is implementing certain visitor restrictions. Effective Tuesday, January 19, 2021, visitors will not be permitted into their inpatient unit. The previous limited visitation hours for inpatients of 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. will be suspended until further notice. Learn more about this at portagehealth.org/covid-19-information.
Health Department asks for patience with vaccine scheduling; supply is limited
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) asks the public to be patient with the process of vaccinating all who wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Due to the lack of a sufficient supply of vaccine, clinics are by appointment only. Appointments for this week have been filled. WUPHD will add more appointments as additional vaccine becomes available. Residents are asked to periodically check the WUPHD website for available clinics. Those who have booked appointments are asked to make every effort to keep the appointment and to cancel the appointment via the scheduling email if they cannot make it. Missed appointments could result in spoiled vaccine. Click here for more info.
UPDATE: MDHHS confirms new MI COVID Alert text message outreach
Monday, Dec. 21, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) confirmed the launch of a statewide text outreach aimed at increasing residents’ awareness of the state’s new exposure notification mobile app, MI COVID Alert. Click here to learn about this free app for your mobile phone. It will help us to notify each other and slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan. Click here to read more from MDHHS.
Keweenaw Now begins the New Year by joining the 295 community members who signed this letter to our Western UP Health Department, health workers and frontline workers:
Thank you to the staff of the Western UP Health department for working tirelessly to keep our community safe and informed. Thank you to our local healthcare workers who daily put their lives on the line to protect others. Thank you to the cashiers, servers, and frontline workers who go the extra mile day in and day out to keep everyone safe. Thank you to teachers for working so hard for our children. Thank you to all members of our community who are making sacrifices in their personal lives, in their jobs, and in their businesses to help stop the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate the care that you show for your fellow Yoopers, and we appreciate your sisu.*
*Editor's Note: This letter is reprinted with permission. We regret that we lack the space to list all the names of those who signed.
Great Lakes MMIW Billboard Campaign seeks support
This campaign is now in the Great Lakes region to create awareness of violence against Indigenous Native women and girls. Click on photo for details. (Screenshot photo courtesy Great Lakes MMIW Billboard Campaign)
The Native Justice Coalition (NJC) officially launched their Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) Program in August 2019. The movement has been growing across Canada for several years and now the Global Indigenous Council has started this billboard campaign, which has been supported by Native American Congresswomen including Deb Haaland (D-NM) and Sharice Davids (D-KS). The campaign is now active in the Great Lakes region. The goal is to locate these billboards in rural and remote Native communities to create awareness of the ongoing violence and continued genocide that affects Native women, girls, and Two-Spirits across the US and Canada. Support is needed to pay for the billboards. Click here to learn more and to contribute if you can.
WUPHD announces preliminary plans for COVID Vaccine Roll Out
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) announces that initial allotments of COVID-19 vaccine are beginning to arrive across the state, with vaccinations expected to begin next week throughout the Upper Peninsula. The vaccination process is anticipated to be a large undertaking with multiple community partners involved including local hospitals, physicians, and federally qualified health centers. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 will the first vaccine to arrive this week, followed shortly by Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine is currently approved for individuals over 16 years of age and initial allotments will be designated for those in the highest priority group as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to include Healthcare personnel, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Skilled nursing facility staff and residents. Read more...
UPDATE: Virtual tour of Sisu exhibit with artist Karen Stewart now available on YouTube
Sisu, by Karen Stewart, is at the Finlandia University Gallery until Jan. 5, 2021. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)
If you missed the Nov. 19 Zoom reception and artist talk by Karen Stewart, on her exhibit, Sisu, featured as the 30th Annual Contemporary Finnish American Artist Series Exhibition at the Finlandia University Gallery, you can now view on YouTube a video tour of the exhibit with Stewart explaining some of her paintings. The exhibit continues until January 5, 2021. Appointments for a private viewing of the exhibit can be made with Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler at (906) 487-7500 or by email at gallery@finlandia.edu.
Karen Stewart’s realistic portraiture seeks to embody her subject’s sisu, a Finnish concept described as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness in the face of adversity. Combining art historical references with the personal stories of her subjects, Stewart’s portraits of women chronicle the struggles as well as the joys inherent in life. Read more HERE. Take the virtual tour HERE.
Liquor licenses, permits suspended for businesses for violations of MDHHS Emergency Order
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) has issued emergency suspensions of the liquor licenses and permits held by three Michigan businesses in Lakeview, Houghton and St. Joseph. Licensees’ multiple violations of the current Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Emergency Order include: allowing non-residential, in-person gatherings; providing in-person dining; failure to require face coverings for staff and patrons; and failure to prohibit patrons from congregating. The Houghton business is KMPD, Inc. d/b/a Rock House/Mine Shaft located at 915 Razorback, Houghton. The Commission issued an emergency suspension order of the Class C and SDM liquor licenses with a Specific Purpose Permits (Food and Bowling), Outdoor Service Area Permit, Sunday Sales (P.M.) Permit, Extended Hours Permit, Additional Bar and Dance-Entertainment Permits, on November 25, 2020. Allowing this activity to continue could create additional outbreaks of COVID-19. Click here for details.
If you have any questions about what went into effect Nov. 18, read these frequently asked questions for the Nov. 18 Face Masks and Gatherings Order.
Undaunted by Sunday's very cold winds in Houghton, a group of concerned voters gathered at the Houghton County Courthouse for the "Every Vote Counts" Vigil. Michigan Tech student Zachary Olson spoke about the need to "stay calm and stay committed" during the upcoming election and to oppose interference in voting or voting results. Barry Fink, president of the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country, offered a brief historical background on voting rights and voter suppression, noting that voting rights are still under attack today in the U.S. The Rev. Bucky Beach, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, spoke of the need for a welcoming environment for voting -- free from intimidation. He led the group in singing a line from a song inspired by Wendell Berry: "What we need is here." Click on photo above for a video of the event.
Michigan Healthcare Systems issue Joint Statement on COVID-19 Policies
The following statement, posted Oct. 22, 2020, is made on behalf of Chief Medical Officers and Chief Clinical Officers of Michigan Healthcare Systems and Hospitals:
"As the physician leaders of hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the state of Michigan, representing 110 of Michigan’s 137 hospitals, we have an important safety message regarding COVID-19:
"We want to make it clear that regardless of state law, executive orders, or local public health directives, hospitals and healthcare systems across the state are standing as a united front in our policies and interventions in order to fight the spread of COVID-19. It is imperative that every Michigan resident join us in taking the necessary steps to prevent the spread of this deadly disease.
"Our hospitals and healthcare facilities will continue requiring staff, patients, and visitors to follow public safety protocols, including mask-wearing, screenings upon entry to our facilities, and limitation of visitors. We ask that everyone do the public version of these precautions: wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet apart, avoid crowds, and wash your hands frequently. We do this to keep our patients, visitors and healthcare workers safe...." Click here to read the full statement.
Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services rules
Due to the recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling, the issuing of new orders from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and the quickly changing information, there have been many questions about what the current rules are, who is enforcing them, and what everyone should be doing. Shortly after the Michigan Supreme Court ruling against the Governor's Executive Orders, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued rules under a separate law. These rules are currently valid and replaced (almost) all of the previous Executive Orders issued by the Governor, including masking requirements (the new rules are actually MORE stringent than the Governor’s Executive Orders were). More details on the orders are available here: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98158-541979--,00.html. Also, click above on Copper Country Strong for additional updates, including recently released new rules and guidance from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
Following the recent significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Houghton County, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners, on Sept. 29, issued a Resolution for the Promotion of COVID-19 Safety Measures. Here is an excerpt:
"...WHEREAS, the simple, cheap, and effective methods to slow the spread of COVID-19 are readily known and available, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, and limiting gathering sizes indoors and outdoors; WHEREAS, some members of the Community have practiced good prevention methods, while a small minority of people continue to refuse, despite the risk to themselves and others; WHEREAS, efforts to trace the contacts of people who have tested POSITIVE for COVID-19 are being hampered by some Residents’ refusals to disclose who they may have spread the virus to, causing FURTHER SPREAD of the virus; WHEREAS, the impact to the local economy due to COVID-19 so far will PALE IN COMPARISON to a second wave of shutdowns by the State of Michigan, should the caseload in Houghton County not be brought under control by its OWN RESIDENTS ...." Click here for the complete Resolution.
Michigan Tech COVID tracking forms required for employees, visitors
A reminder that no one is permitted to come to the Michigan Tech campus with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. All employees are required to monitor their symptoms daily before coming to campus. The Daily Symptom Tracking Form is a short form that will help you determine if you have COVID-19 symptoms. In addition, all visitors must fill out the Visitor Symptom Tracking Form each day before coming on campus.
UPDATE from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
On Monday, Oct. 5, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon issued an Emergency Order under MCL 333.2253restricting gathering sizes, requiring face coverings in public spaces and placing limitations on bars and other venues. The order follows the Michigan Supreme Court decision on Friday, Oct 2, that invalidated COVID-19 related executive orders. Today’s order relies on authorities that were first enacted after the Spanish Flu of 1918, and that were not at issue in the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision.
Under MCL 333.2253, if the MDHHS director determines that control of an epidemic is necessary to protect the public health, the director by emergency order may prohibit the gathering of people for any purpose and may establish procedures to be followed during the epidemic to insure continuation of essential public health services and enforcement of health laws. Gordon shares more about the reasoning behind the order in a recent column.
Violations of this order are punishable by a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six months or a fine of not more than $200, or both. Violations of this order are also punishable by a civil fine of up to $1,000. This order is effective immediately and remains in effect through Friday, Oct. 30. Individuals with suggestions and concerns are invited to submit comments via email to COVID19@michigan.gov. Details can be seen by clicking on Copper Country Strong above.
Houghton County is at a critical time. Please follow the guidelines for masking, social distancing, and personal hygiene. The recent cases in Houghton County are spreading rapidly throughout the community. These are not exaggerated numbers. The only path through this pandemic is for everyone to take personal responsibility for slowing the spread of the virus. Each individual -- young, old, student, employee, everyone -- must contribute to the cause or the spread will continue as we have seen recently. Yes, it is inconvenient, yes, you may miss out on something, yes, your plans may have to alter. But, only together with everyone’s help, can we move forward towards a return to normal. Follow these guidelines:
1. Wear a mask (MHDDS orders require masks in all businesses, workplaces, and schools) 2. Avoid public gatherings (MDHHS orders limit indoors (10 people maximum) and outdoors (100 people maximum)) 3. Keep at least 6 feet away from others indoors or outdoors 4. Wash your hands frequently 5. Stay home if you are sick 6. Cooperate with contact tracing.
"Seven Generation River" -- Sustainability Film Series discussion online May 21
Image courtesy greatlakesnow.org
UPDATE: UPEC May 12 virtual discussion on Line 5, tunnel regulation now online
This Enbridge photo shows a company diver inspecting the Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. (Photo courtesy Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition)
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) presented "Line 5: What’s the fuss? A virtual discussion" Tuesday, May 12. The online presentation, by Jeff Towner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers retired wildlife biologist, and Mike Ripley of the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) is now available on UPEC's YouTube channel. Towner and Ripley discuss the controversy over re-permitting Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline, which now passes through the Upper Peninsula and crosses the Straits of Mackinac, to be moved to a proposed tunnel under the Straits. Towner explains the regulatory path Enbridge has to go through for the Line 5 tunnel approval. Ripley discusses tribal efforts to shut down Line 5 because of the dangers a spill would pose to their fisheries, which they operate under rights afforded them by the Treaty of 1836. Jeff Towner has extensive experience with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service throughout the U.S., as well as in wildlife work in Africa. Mike Ripley is an Environmental Coordinator for the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA), a position he’s held since 1996. CORA represents five tribes in Michigan with regard to the tribes’ commercial and subsistence fisheries in the 1836 treaty-ceded waters of Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior.
Update: Michigan Tech's Guy Meadows on Michigan's lake levels; Apr. webinar now online
Engineer Guy Meadows, Michigan Tech University Robbins professor of Sustainable Marine Engineering and the founding director of the Great Lakes Research Center, discussed Michigan’s lake levels from 1938 to present to inform coastal communities, property owners and community planners at Michigan’s High Water Summit held April 28 -- a webinar town hall focusing on shoreline erosion and permitting.That webinar is now available here on YouTube.
Celebrate the U.P.! with UPEC on line Apr. 25
Celebrate the U.P.! virtually.
Celebrate the U.P.! 2020 (Virtually) with the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC). The April 25 event is now available on YouTube here. Guest speakers are as follows:
--Keynote speaker Monica Lewis-Patrick, President and CEO of We the People of Detroit: "Water as a Human Right."
--Sarah Green, Michigan Tech Professor of Chemistry who recently took a group of students to the COP25 climate conference in Madrid: "International Climate Action."
--Angie Carter, Michigan Tech Assistant Professor of Social Sciences: "Cultivating Connection: Strengthening Our Regional Food System."
--UPEC Annual Membership Meeting. Updates from Board Members.
--Short videos: "Homespun Responses in an Extraordinary Time." Local people show how they turned Michigan's pandemic stay-at-home order into a positive experience.
It's 1900. Beneath the gorgeous new Red Jacket Opera House -- Calumet Theatre -- copper miners work night and day. Finnish miner's daughter Lilly is at the center of these two plays, "Calumet 1900" and "Sarah Bernhardt 1911," and an interim act taking place in the social hall for Finnish immigrants. Click here or on book cover above for more info on the latest plays from Mary Jane Williams. Available at North Wind Books in Hancock for $25. UPDATE:A black and white edition is available on Amazon.com for $10.99.
Saving Copper Country birds at Portage Library
New films on Portage Lake District Library windows save birds. (Photo courtesy Portage Library)
Birds hitting windows is one of the leading causes of their death. Birds see a reflection of the outdoors in a window so they try to fly right through. The Portage Lake District Library has had many bird strikes, especially on the bridge side near trees. A Copper Country Audubon member who worked at the library requested help to prevent these bird strikes. Stencils of hawks and other things can be put on windows to help prevent bird strikes, but none are as effective as a new product that birds see but humans can't: Bird’s Eye View® window films -- six-inch plastic films that look like frosted glass. They are clean, easy to install and non-adhesive -- so they remove easily. The films work by reflecting ultraviolet light that birds can see as a bright blue glow across the window surface. Having the films on large windows reduces window strikes by up to 80 percent. Copper Country Audubon members donated 30 films to the Portage Lake District Library to help prevent bird strikes. They have a decorative design so they do not obstruct the beautiful views from the library windows. Window films were also put on some of the worst windows at Michigan Tech. For more information about Copper Country Audubon contact Dana Richter, 482-3361 or dlrichte@mtu.edu.
Finlandia University
Portage Lake District Library
Buffalo Reef Task Force to hold public meeting July 31 on saving fish habitat from stamp sands
The Buffalo Reef Task Force will hold a public meeting to discuss three alternatives tentatively selected for further analysis in the fight to save Buffalo Reef -- an important natural reef near Gay, Mich., where historic copper mine tailings (stamp sands) are threatening to destroy spawning habitat and recruitment areas important to Lake Superior whitefish and lake trout. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. (EDT) TONIGHT, Wednesday, July 31, at the Lake Linden-Hubbell High School, 601 Calumet Avenue, Lake Linden. In February, the task force issued an alternatives analysis which briefly described 13 strategies for managing historic copper mine tailings threatening to destroy spawning habitat and recruitment areas important to Lake Superior whitefish and lake trout in and around Buffalo Reef. Maintenance dredging has been ongoing this summer in the harbor and the trough area to buy time to develop a long-term solution to the stamp sands issue. Click here for details.
Jack Parker: 1930-2019
Keweenaw Now file photo courtesy Jack Parker.
Keweenaw Now wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Jack Parker of Twin Lakes and Baltic, who passed away on April 20, 2019, at the age of 88. Born in England, Jack was a miner of great expertise, who loved the outdoors and cared about the environment. Click here to read our Dec. 6, 2010, article about Jack.Keweenaw Now also published several letters to the editor from him. Click here to read his Obituary.
Dance Zone Marquette
Click on logo above for info on dances and schedules of events.
Bipartisan climate legislation has been introduced in Congress -- H.R. 7173, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend approach that -- if passed -- would help us make significant progress toward our big goal: keeping warming to 2ºC. The bill will put a price on carbon, a key step to quickly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. It also will protect about 2/3 of our UP households, including most lower income households, from rising energy costs. CCL will be sharing more about how to support this bill, will be contacting Rep. Bergman urging him to sign on as co-sponsor, and will be writing letters to the editor. Bergman needs to hear from as many of his constituents as possible, so he knows how much this issues matters to us. You can read about the bill at energyinnovationact.org and then call Congressman Bergman and ask him to co-sponsor H.R. 7173.
Gustavo Bourdieu , 74, a resident of Hancock, passed away suddenly on Monday, September 17, 2018. Gustavo was born in Buenos Aires, Arge...
From Michele Bourdieu, Editor:
Many thanks to all who attended our Memorial for Gustavo on Sunday, Oct. 21. Thanks also to all who have sent lovely cards, email and Facebook messages of condolence and more. In addition to taking photos for Keweenaw Now, Gustavo kept computers running and technology up-to-date for Keweenaw Now's postings. We miss him very much for so many reasons.
Copper Country Recycling
Click on logo above for info on Copper Country Recycling. (Logo courtesy Copper Country Recycling Initiative)
The Copper Country Recycling Initiative (CCRI), a group of local citizens working together to promote recycling in the Copper Country, urges residents of the Keweenaw to save natural resources and energy and to help extend the life of the landfill by integrating the three "Rs" into their daily life: Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. CCRI has worked to implement cardboard recycling at the Houghton County Transfer Station and Chassell and curbside recycling in Hancock and Houghton, as well as E(lectronic) Waste collection; and, in the near future, there are plans for household hazardous waste and tire recycling. The CCRI brochure, (available on the CCRI website here) lists what is recyclable along with what to do with batteries, bedding, books, cellphones, clothing, construction material, Electronic waste, glasses, medication, motor oil, packing material, printer cartridges, and more. There is also a sign-up for their mailing list.
Copper Country GoFundMe campaigns continue
The Foss home and garage next to Ripley Falls. (Photo courtesy Houghton County Commissioner Tom Tikkanen. Reprinted with permission.)
Fundraiser to help Ripley family: home damaged by flood, waterfall
Click on photo above to learn how you can help.
Brockit.com
See photos of volunteers working to help families impacted by the June 17 flood on the Facebook page for brockit inc. Thanks to Adam Johnson of brockit for sharing photos and his aerial video.
Slide Show: Keweenaw March for Our Lives
In solidarity with the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018, more than 200 participants marched across the Portage Lift Bridge from Houghton to Hancock, Michigan, and back. Click on photo and follow arrows for the slide show.
See KNSC updates on trail conditions and photos on the Maasto Hiihto blog.
Kids, parents enjoy 2018 Barneløpet ski race at Maasto Hiihto
Skiers of all ages take off for the 11th annual non-competitive Barneløpet ski race on Feb. 11. (Photo courtesy Arlyn Aronson)
Kids and parents braved a chilly, windy Sunday, Feb.11, for the 11th annual Barneløpet children's ski race at Maasto Hiihto -- hosted by the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, Sons of Norway, and the City of Hancock and sponsored by Portage Health Auxiliary. Click on photo above for more photos of the event taken by Maasto groomer Arlyn Aronson.
Slide Show: Sister March: Jan. 21, 2018
Click on above photo to access our new slide show of the Sister March. Click on this lead bridge photo in the slide show. Click info icons for captions. Follow arrows to the right to follow the march.
Slide Show: Art, Culture, Oct.-Nov. 2017
From arts and crafts to film and dance, Keweenaw Now's SLIDE SHOW: Art, Culture Oct. - Nov. 2017 presents photo highlights of art and cultural events we attended in the Copper Country during the fall of 2017. Click on the above photo of Ginger and Mike at the opening of their SewCranky shop in Hancock and follow the right arrows to see all the photos. Info icon gives you the captions.
New book by Nancy Langston
Click on book cover above to learn about Nancy Langston's latest book. (Book cover image courtesy Nancy Langston)
New book by Cyndi Perkins
Book cover courtesy Cyndi Perkins and Beating Windward Press.
New Novel by Kristin Neva
"Copper Country" is the second novel in Kristin Neva's Copper Island Series. Click on book cover to go to the Amazon.com page for the book. (Book cover courtesy Kristin Neva)
Copper Country, by Keweenaw author Kristin Neva, is the second novel in her Copper Island Series, following Snow Country (see ad below). Two main characters, Aimee and Russ, appear in both novels. Neva continues to describe life in the Keweenaw, including the influence of Finnish names and culture. Click on book cover image above to learn more or purchase the book on Amazon.com.
"Snow Country" -- A Copper Island Novel
Set on the Keweenaw Peninsula, this inspirational novel features contemporary Finnish-American and Yooper culture while exploring themes of love, loss and faith.
Calumet Art Center
Click on logo above to learn about the Calumet Art Center's many activities and classes.
Midnight in the Pawn Shop
Deborah Frontiera, author of "Living on Sisu," has recently published this short novel for mature readers. Click on book cover above for more info. (Photo courtesy Deborah Frontiera)
Offer from Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society
Book cover designed by Avis L. West of Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society. Photograph courtesy Michigan Technological University Archives.
This publication by the Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society (HKCGS) can be yours for free with a minimum $50 donation to the Italian Hall Memorial Fund. The book tells about the families of Italian Hall victims and includes historic photos. If you wish to donate and receive a copy of the book, please click on book cover above for the HKCGS order form, complete the form, print it and mail it to the address on the form. See story about the memorial and other ways to donate here.
Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District announcements
UPDATED: Attention Hancock Residents: Waste Management Garbage and Recycling
Waste Management Garbage and Recycling new schedule for Hancockstarted on Sept. 12, 2016. - All items need to be out by 7 a.m. -Weekly same day pick up for garbage and recycling (using a new dual garbage truck) -Pick Up Day Change affects some neighborhoods: -East of Elevation Street will be on Monday. -West of Elevation Street will be on Wednesday. *Pick up for residents living on Elevation, S. Elevation and N. Elevation Streets will be on WEDNESDAY. -Any container will work for recycling. Some people are painting or taping (recycling) on the bins they now use or you can purchase a new recycling bin from McGann’s or Risto’s. -Single stream will continue for all items including glass and clean pizza boxes! -Service is also available to small commercial. -The City still has a recycling drop off at the DPW Garage (1601 Tomasi Drive) QUESTIONS: Call Bill Marlor, DPW, 482-1480 or Glenn Anderson, City Manager, 482-1121. Click here for Waste Management's new list of acceptable and unacceptable items for recycling. Thank you for your participation.
Slide Show: Christmas in Calumet 2016
Click on the photo above to see our slide show of Calumet on Dec. 3: the Poor Artists Sale, Santa, and art gallery exhibits. Click on any photo and follow the arrows. To read captions, click on the info icon.
Slide Shows: Family fun with science, more ...
Our recent slide shows highlight the Keweenaw Science and Engineering Festival (KSEF) and Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) community events held Aug. 4 - 6, 2016; the 2016 Keweenaw Science Fair winners honored by Carnegie Museum; and the Lake Superior Celebration at GLRC in April 2016.
The new slide shows can be accessed as follows: Click here or on the photo above for the slide show of the Aug. 5, 2016, Keweenaw Water Festival at Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC). Click here for the Aug. 4 and Aug. 6 Keweenaw Science and Engineering (KSEF) family events held in Houghton's Kestner Waterfront Park, and click here for photos of some 2016 Science Fair winners and highlights of the April 26, 2016, Lake Superior Celebration sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan STEM Partnership, the Copper Country Recycling Initiative and more. For each slide show, click on the first photo in the album and click the info icon in the top right corner for the caption. Then click on forward arrows to view the photos as a slide show.
Eagle Rock, 2010: Slide show
In May 2010, concerned Native and non-Native citizens camped, prayed and planted a garden at Eagle Rock, an Ojibwa sacred site, which was blasted for the portal to the Rio-Tinto-Kennecott Eagle Mine. The mine, now in operation, was sold to Lundin Mining Corporation of Toronto. Click on photo above to access a photo album on Eagle Rock protests in May 2010. Click on the first photo in the album and then on the info icon to view captions if they are not visible on the right. To view the photos as a slide show, click on the forward arrows.
Click here for the latest news on Save the Water's Edge.
A Rascal's Craft
The poetic musings of Eelu Kiviranta, a Finnish immigrant and self-proclaimed rascal. Side-by-side Finnish with English translation by Lillian Lehto. Introduction by Steve Lehto. Includes "The Copper Country Strike of 1913." Available from Amazon or the translator, 1419 Yosemite, Birmingham, MI 48009, $19.95. Click on cover to see Youtube video.
Distant Drum
Original clothing and wall pieces custom designed and sewn by Andrea Puzakulich in the Keweenaw for 25 years. Distant Drum is located in Hancock's Historic E.L.Wright Bldg. Open most weekday afternoons. Call ahead.
New edition of book by Steve Lehto
Click on book cover to access Steve's Facebook page on the Italian Hall disaster.
Click here to see Steve Lehto's YouTube video about Italian Hall.
Keweenaw Adventure Company
Red Circle Consulting
Mike Lahti at State Farm
Copper Country Community Arts Center
Click here to visit the Community Arts Center on Facebook.
Keweenaw BEST!
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
What Is Sustainable
Author Richard Adrian Reese recounts how his life took a new direction after 9 years of simple living in the Keweenaw -- and offers a new worldview for a sustainable future.
Welcome to our Keweenaw Now blog. This site, the sequel to the Web site www.keweenawnow.com, officially began on September 1, 2007. The Blogger format allows you, our readers, to comment on any post. Read our articles here and send us your comments and suggestions! Comments are reviewed by the editor. They must be related to the article and not contain advertising links or objectionable text. If you click on the headline of an article, it will go to the article's own (archive) page, where comments appear and where you can reply to them. Click on the comment link below the article to send us a comment. Sometimes the number of comments is indicated on that link on the home page. It may take some time for comments to appear.
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Yoopers for Ukraine to hold Vigils marking 2 years of Ukrainian resistance
Saturday, Feb. 24, marks two years of Ukraine's defensive war against Russian aggression. Yoopers for Ukraine is joining with 180 cities across the Globe to promote the "Believe in Ukraine" campaign. Supporters of Ukraine are invited to participate in the following events this weekend: Candlelight Vigils to be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, and Saturday, Feb. 24, at Veterans Park in Houghton and a sunrise community prayer service at 7 a.m. at the Peace Pole in Houghton. All are invited to the Pier in Houghton (near Portage Lake District Library) at Noon on Saturday, Feb. 24, for "73 minutes for 730 days of Resilience." This event is part of Klych, a movement working on building strong relationships with activists and organizations aiding Ukraine, as well as organizing long-term projects.
Blog Archive: Click on arrows for links to articles published that week.
