MTU Drop-N-Shop offers recycling, bargain purchases Apr. 29-30

By Bronwynn Kelly, Heather Wright, and Shalini Suryanarayana

HOUGHTON -- As people begin their yearly spring cleaning and as Michigan Tech students begin to move out of the residence halls, many will discover they have accumulated items they no longer want or they simply cannot fit into their car. To encourage the reuse of these gently used items, the Students for Environmental Sustainability (SfES) and Michigan Tech Residence Life have partnered together to organize this year’s Drop-N-Shop events that will take place on Tuesday, Apr. 29, and Wednesday, Apr. 30, at four locations on Michigan Tech’s campus:

1. DHH Loading Dock, 2 p. m. - 3 p. m.
2. McNair Loading Dock, 3 p.m. - 4 p. m.
3. Wads Loading Dock, 4 p.m. - 5 p. m.
4. MUB Circle, Noon - 5 p. m. (featuring the On-the-Spot Drop-N-Shop events). This location is for off-campus students, faculty, staff, and community members.

On Tuesday, Apr. 29, Tim Beach, right, MTU student in computer science and a volunteer for MTU's Circle K service organization, shows some bargain items to Chee Huei Lee, MTU graduate student in physics, who is from Malaysia. The Drop-N-Shop continues through Apr. 30. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Each year millions of tons of garbage are landfilled; and this number continues to increase as our society moves towards more disposable, one-use products. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2006, residents, businesses and institutions produced more than 251 million tons of municipal solid waste. That means each person in the US produced approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per day! That is up from 3.3 pounds per person per day in the 1970s.

MTU's Drop-N-Shop includes practical bargain items like this dry erase board. (Photos courtesy Heather Wright)

Fortunately, there are many ways that individuals can reduce their waste generation: Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. However, of the 3 Rs, reducing and reusing offer the greatest benefits, both financially and environmentally. Reducing the amount of "stuff" we consume every day has a direct impact on the planet and can greatly reduce our ecological footprint. The second R, reusing, also reduces waste, while supporting a productive economy and allowing individuals to sustain their same quality of life. Specifically, reuse creates less air and water pollution than making a new item or recycling, results in less hazardous waste and can generate new business and employment opportunities.*

"Gently used" items like these windbreakers, which can be recycled and reused, will be available for bargain prices on the MTU campus during the Drop-N-Shop Apr. 29-30. (Photo courtesy Heather Wright)

Yet recycling is a far better option than sending items to the landfill. In 2006, recycling (including composting) diverted 82 million tons of material away from the landfill, which was up from 15 million tons in 1980.**

Drop-N-Shop was created as a way to help facilitate the reuse of items typically discarded as a result of the annual departure of students each spring. The MUB location will feature the On-the-Spot Drop-N-Shop event. This On-the-Spot event is new this year and will allow individuals to drop off their gently used items and also to shop among the donated items. Items can be purchased for a small donation, and all proceeds will go to support Earth Week events.

For a list of acceptable and unacceptable items, please visit our website, http://www.esc.mtu.edu/SFES/Default.htm. All items remaining at the end of each day will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul.

Notes:
*Annie B. Bond (1999): "Why Reuse Beats Recycling." See http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-reuse-beats-recycling.html.

** US EPA (2008): "Municipal Solid Waste." See http://epa.gov/garbage/facts.htm.

Editor's Note: Co-authors of this article Bronwynn Kelly and Heather Wright are members of MTU's Students for Environmental Sustainability (SfES), and Shalini Suryanarayana is chair of MTU's Environmental Sustainability Committee.

Great Lakes Showcase exhibits regional art Apr. 28-May 4 at MTU

HOUGHTON -- The Great Lakes Showcase of Fine Art and Crafts, a juried exhibition featuring the work of 77 regional artists, opens at 7 p.m. Monday, Apr. 28, in Michigan Tech's McArdle Theatre (Walker Arts and Humanities Center), with a reception to which the community is invited.

The showcase brings back one of the most popular annual arts events in the Keweenaw area after an absence of six years. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Copper Country Gallery Exhibition showcased the work of regional and national artists in a gallery-style show each May, in the week before graduation. It was temporarily discontinued in 2002 when its longtime organizers turned to other activities. Mary Ann Beckwith, MTU professor of art, says the new Great Lakes Showcase will be an annual event sponsored by the visual and performing arts department and other area art supporters.

"We hope everyone will take time to visit the exhibit," Beckwith says, "and to help us update our community and artist mailing lists. We already look forward to doing this again next year."

Free and open to the public, the showcase can be visited daily from Apr. 29 to May 4. After the Monday evening opening, hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 29, through Friday, May 2, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4. Visitor parking will be available in Lot 8 near Walker. Guided tours of the exhibit can be arranged for K-12 students and other groups by calling the Visual and Performing Arts office, 487-2067.

A number of special awards, including Best of Show, will be given to work in two dimensions and in three dimensions. This year's judge for selections and awards is Katie Crotteau, executive director of the Center for the Visual Arts in Wausau, Wis. In addition, the Community Choice Award of $150 will be given to the artist whose work receives the most votes from exhibit visitors.

Lost loon rehabilitated, released at MTU

By Dennis Walikainen

HOUGHTON -- On a chilly morning, last Wednesday, Apr. 23, a group of Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate a (somewhat late) sign of spring. A loon had been rescued from a puddle, kept overnight and was ready to be released by local concerned birders.

The loon was calling in the box on the car ride to campus. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

An adult male loon was released, after an overnight recovery, by civil and environmental engineering graduate student Erin Satchell, his wife, Michelle, and young son, Benjamin. The loon had mistaken some wet pavement for open water and had badly scraped his feet in a landing attempt. Michelle works for a veterinarian's office and helped rehab the bird.

The Satchell family releases the rehabilitated loon on Wednesday, Apr. 23, in the Portage, near the MTU campus. Pictured, left to right, are Benjamin, Michelle and Erin. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

He was doing fine Wednesday morning and called out immediately after hitting the water.

"He's happy," said one of the observers, watching the loon dive under the water and surface a couple of times.

He stretched his wings and shook his head during his slow cruise out toward the middle of the Portage.

Landing in the water, the loon spreads his wings and calls. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University)

Before his release, the Satchells also brought the loon to their other children's kindergarten and second-grade classes in Calumet.

An MTU biology class in freshwater biodiversity was present at the release, as were members of a birders’ email listserv, where word of the injured loon had spread.

At last report, the loon was drifting happily out in the Keweenaw Waterway, building up strength to finish that flight north.

Editor's Note: This article appeared recently on Tech Today and is reprinted here with permission. Author Dennis Walikainen is senior editor for Michigan Technological University Marketing and Communications and a Ph.D. candidate in Rhetoric and Technical Communications.

Second threatening note found at MTU

HOUGHTON--Another threatening note was found at Michigan Technological University. On Thursday, Apr. 24, a student discovered the note in a stairwell in the Electrical Energy Resources Center and turned it in to Public Safety at approximately 2:45 p.m.

Extra patrols are continuing, and the evidence will be sent to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Negaunee for processing.

The residence halls have been locked and may be entered only by residents and building staff. All members of the University community have been asked to be aware of their surroundings and report anything unusual by calling Michigan Tech Public Safety at 906-487-2216 or by calling 911.

A similar note was found Apr. 16 in Michigan Tech's ROTC Building, which has been locked until the end of the semester and can be entered only by students and employees with regular access.

Will Kennecott mine the Yellow Dog Plains?

"Ore body 150 feet down" is the title of this photo of the Salmon Trout River, which flows above the site of Kennecott Minerals' proposed sulfide mine near Marquette. The River contains one of the few surviving populations of Coaster Brook Trout in the U.S. (Photo © 2007 Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve and courtesy www.savethewildup.org. Reprinted with permission.)

By Emily Svenson

CALUMET -- Kennecott Minerals does not yet have the go-ahead to begin its Eagle Project sulfide mining operation at the headwaters of the Salmon-Trout River in Marquette County. Although the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) gave Kennecott a permit last December, the company must first receive a permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and await the resolution of four lawsuits filed against the State of Michigan.

In addition, a petition to list the Coaster Brook Trout as an endangered species could have repercussions on the Eagle Project, since the Salmon-Trout River hosts one of the few surviving populations of Coaster Brook Trout in the U.S. The deadline for public comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerning this petition is May 19, 2008, and the deadline for requesting public hearings is May 5, 2008.

Four lawsuits were filed against the State of Michigan by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the National Wildlife Federation, the Huron Mountain Club and the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve. Kennecott has intervened on behalf of the State.

Two of the lawsuits are contested cases that have been consolidated into one; they challenge the DEQ’s approval of the Part 632 Mining Permit and the Groundwater Discharge Permit. They will be heard on Apr. 28, 2008, before Administrative Law Judge Richard Patterson.

According to Cynthia Pryor, executive director of the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, the other lawsuits were filed by the same groups against the DEQ for its approval of the Air Quality Permit and against the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for its land surface use lease to Kennecott until the year 2042. The two cases will be heard by Judge Manderfield in the Ingham County Circuit Court; no date has currently been set.

National Wildlife Federation attorney Michelle Halley says all four lawsuits must be resolved in order for Kennecott to mine because they must have obtained all of the necessary permits, including the Underground Injection Control Permit from the EPA.

"The EPA seems to be taking a close look at the environmental impacts of the mine and the cultural significance of Eagle Rock to KBIC and other tribes," Halley said recently.

A pilgrim to Eagle Rock left a staff with two carved fish dangling from its point. Carved on the staff is the message SACRED WATERS SACRED LAND. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2007 Sue Ellen Kingsley. Reprinted with permission.)

Halley added she had no prediction whether the EPA would issue Kennecott the permit or not and she was not aware of a timeline the EPA has set for the permit.

When asked why the National Wildlife Federation was suing, Halley said, "The DEQ has issued permits and the DNR has issued a lease for the use of state owned land for mining that do not meet the requirements of Michigan's laws. Since this is the first case testing the new law and rules, proper implementation is critical. So far, both agencies are failing."

According to the DEQ, Kennecott could begin surface construction on the company's privately owned land, but must wait to build on state land until it has obtained the required permits.

Eagle Project Manager Jon Cherry says, however, that Kennecott has not yet begun construction.

Salmon-Trout River hosts rare surviving population of Coaster Brook Trout

The Coaster Brook Trout got its name because, unlike brook trout, they leave streams to live along the coast and then return to the streams to spawn. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is currently considering Coasters for listing as endangered.

According to the USFWS Web site, Coasters were once plentiful in the U.S., having lived in Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior, and in more than fifty streams on the Lake Superior shore.*

USFWS reports that while self-sustaining subpopulations or spawning runs remain in four streams in the U.S. portion of Lake Superior, the population levels in these streams are considered low.

The USFWS is presently considering a petition with the Secretary of the Interior to list as endangered, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, the naturally spawning lake-dwelling coaster brook trout throughout its known historic range in the conterminous United States.*

The petition was filed on Feb. 22, 2006, by the Sierra Club Mackinac Chapter, Huron Mountain Club and Marvin J. Roberson.*

If Kennecott mines at the headquarters of the Salmon-Trout River, environmentalists are concerned that the Coaster Brook Trout population may be devastated.

According to Hugh McDiarmid of the Detroit Free Press, logging and road building -- both of which can increase river sediment and alter stream temperature -- are major threats to the fish. He notes also environmentalists' concerns about toxic acids and heavy metals that would seep from the operation’s waste rock and pollute the river.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), or sulfuric acid leaking from the mine, is the main environmental concern for many citizens. Once this toxic substance is in the environment, it may be impossible to remove. Water-rich areas are especially susceptible to damage from AMD.**

The DEQ and Kennecott officials insist that mining regulations are so tough that the environment and the fish will not be harmed.

When asked if Kennecott can mine on the Salmon-Trout without causing AMD, Project Manager Jon Cherry said, "Most definitely. The design is meant to be safe and protective of the environment and the DEQ agrees with that."***

If Coasters are listed as endangered, the USFWS may greatly restrict land use in their last remaining habitats in the U.S.; this could affect Kennecott’s ability to mine. The USFWS is currently accepting public comments on this issue until May 19, 2008. They must receive requests for public hearings by May 5, 2008. The USFWS hopes to have made their preliminary decision by December of 2008.

To submit a comment or information on the Coaster Brook Trout go to:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Or, send a comment by mail to:

Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.

The USFWS will not accept anonymous comments; they must be accompanied by a name and address. Comments may be posted online. For more information on this, visit their Web site or contact Ms. Jessica Hogrefe, East Lansing Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 101, East Lansing, MI 48823–6316; telephone 517-351-8470.

* See "Species of Concern - Coaster Brook Trout," the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service public notice on the petition for listing the Coaster Brook Trout as an endangered species. On this site the USFWS gives detailed information on the Coasters and their population in the Salmon Trout River as well as information for public comments.

** Visit Save the Wild UP for details on Acid Mine Drainage.

*** The Kennecott Minerals Eagle Project for nickel and copper mining is described on their Web site.

Editor's Notes:
Emily Svenson, the author of this article, is a free lance writer and Keweenaw Now visiting reporter.

Watch for Ms. Svenson's next article in this series, concerning Kennecott's parent company, Rio Tinto, additional mining exploration in the Upper Peninsula, the China connection and responses by Governor Jennifer Granholm at a recent Town Hall meeting.

CCGAP to hold Guatemala fund-raising dance Apr. 26

CCGAP Board President Linda Rulison entertains children on visit to Fronterizo, a Guatemalan village aided by CCGAP-sponsored human rights observers (accompaniers). (Photo © 2005 Karen Endres.)

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP) will hold its annual fund-raising dance from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 26, at the Michigan Tech Forestry Building (access from 7th Avenue).

The Uptown Swingsters will play jump blues, swing, jazz standards, gypsy jazz and an occasional polka. The event will include a raffle with a Guatemalan hand-woven blanket as the grand prize. Raffle tickets are $5 and available at the door.

A Silent Auction will offer colorful textiles, jewelry and more! Come and show your support for CCGAP.

The Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project promotes human rights by responding to requests for international accompaniment from Guatemalan organizations and/or communities, and also by increasing awareness of Guatemala in the Copper Country of Michigan.

Visit the CCGAP Web site for more information about their work.

Finlandia to host art, music "Fusion Fest" Apr. 20

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University International School of Art and Design will host the first-ever "Fusion Fest" Art and Music Festival from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Apr. 20, at Finlandia’s Portage Campus.

The free, all-day indoor festival will include food, arts and crafts booths, music and demonstrations. Proceeds from the event will help Finlandia art and design students attend the 2009 Self-Employment in the Arts conference in Chicago .

Food will include grilled hot dogs and bratwurst, as well as Finnish, Japanese and Tanzanian dishes prepared by Finlandia international students.

Student and community vendor booths will display and sell jewelry, ceramics, fiber art and fine art. T-shirts and tote bags with the Fusion Fest logo will also be available for sale.

Local, student, and faculty musicians will perform throughout the day; and a dance will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Finlandia liberal arts major Dane Rasmussen of Stevens Point, Wis., will demonstrate the Australian aboriginal didgeridoo.

Students will conduct tours of the art studios and classrooms at Finlandia’s Portage Campus, where various art demonstrations will be underway, including weaving and the "raku" ceramics firing technique. A continuous slide show of artwork by student and community artists will be shown.

The event is organized by students in a Finlandia Art and Design Project Management class. They are graphic design majors junior Jessie Millar of Acton, Calif.; sophomore Ashley Jilek of Rockford, Ill.; sophomore Tara Vassar of Niagara, Wis.; and marketing junior Andrew Kirt of Gaylord, Mich. Many other students and faculty members are also involved.

For additional information, please contact Finlandia art and design instructor Denise Vandeville at 906-487-7225.

Official University Statement from Finlandia President Philip Johnson

Statement sent to media Friday morning, Apr. 18, 2008:

HANCOCK -- An assault with a knife occurred at Finlandia Hall early (Friday) morning in which two students were injured. Finlandia University is cooperating fully with a police investigation. It is my understanding that the suspect is now in custody.

We are doing everything we can to assist the injured students and their families. And personal counseling has been made available to all our students through the campus pastor’s office and Student Support Services.

As the president of this institution, I am deeply and personally troubled that something of this kind could happen in our small community. The safety of our students and the security of the Finlandia campus is my highest priority.

Next week, Finlandia celebrates spring commencement and congratulates 122 new graduates. It profoundly saddens me that the college memories of these new alumni will be clouded by this morning’s incident.

I am confident that Finlandia will come together in common support of our students and campus community.

Editor's Note: President Johnson also informed Finlandia faculty and staff Friday afternoon that the hospitalized student is in stable condition.

Calumet galleries to host artist receptions Apr. 18

This painting by Terry Daulton is part of her exhibit, "ECOTONES," at the Vertin Gallery in Calumet. (Photo courtesy Vertin Gallery)

CALUMET -- Friday, Apr. 18, is a day for artist receptions in Calumet.

"ECOTONES, Paintings by Terry Daulton," is the new exhibit at the Vertin Gallery in Calumet. An opening reception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a talk by the artist at 7:30 p.m.

According to Daulton, the title represents the ecological importance of the North Woods. Daulton is a landscape painter, biologist and environmental educator from the Ironwood area, where she lives on an island. The show will be up until May 14. Call 906-337-2200 for further information.

The Vertin Gallery is on the corner of Sixth and Oak streets in Calumet.

At the Omphale Gallery, 431 Fifth Street, a reception will also be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Apr. 18, for their April exhibit, "BETWEEN ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, Collage sulpture and drawings by Reed Harjala." Listen to live music by the artist and enjoy refreshments and a light buffet. The exhibit continues through May 3.

Note from Joyce Koskenmaki: The Ed Gray gallery on Fifth Street is also open on Friday nights, for those of you who have not seen his beautiful juried show, "Trees."

New exhibit opens at Turquoise Gallery Apr. 18

An Istanbul ferry boat (vapur) heads down the Bosphorus. The city of Istanbul is in the background. This photo is part of "The Sound of Istanbul," the new exhibit at the Turquoise Gallery in Hancock. (Photo © 2008 Haluk Narmanli. Reprinted with permission.)

HANCOCK -- "The Sound of Istanbul," will be on exhibit at the Turquoise Art Gallery from Apr. 18 to May 16. This exhibition of photographs will take you on an exotic journey to the one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe. An opening reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Apr. 18. Refreshments ("exotic foods") will be served.

The Turquoise Gallery is on the first floor of the former E.L. Wright School Building on N. Lincoln Drive (U.S. 41) in Hancock.

Notice of Tree Sale location change May 2, 3

HOUGHTON -- The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) Annual Tree Sale pick-up site has been changed to the LAKES EVENT CENTER, 52705 M-26, Lake Linden (Between Hubbell and Lake Linden). The public may pick up Tree Sale orders or purchase extra stock for sale from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 2, and from 9 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, May 3.

HKCD appreciates the generosity of Al Kiley of Kiley Enterprises LLC in allowing the use of his building for the Tree Sale. The change of location was made because of an unforeseen situation.

Extra stock for sale will include the following:

Trees for Wildlife -- American Mountain Ash, Quaking Aspen, Basswood, Paper Birch, Black Cherry, Northern Red Oak, Roselow Sargent Crab, Red and Sugar Maples.

Shrubs for Wildlife -- Beaked Hazelnut, Highbush Cranberry, Ninebark, Rugosa Rose, Serviceberry, Winterberry and Lilacs.

Fruit Trees -- Cortland, Jonagold, Paulared, Wolf River, Montmorency Cherry and Bartlett Pear.

Berry Bushes -- Chester Thornless Blackberry, Northland, Patriot and Jersey Blueberry, Heritage Red Raspberry and Honeoye Strawberry.

For more information contact Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District at 482-0214, email: sue.haralson@mi.nacdnet.net or call Sue at 369-3400.

Threatening note found in MTU's ROTC Building

HOUGHTON -- The following is a message from Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz concerning a threatening note. Anyone with information on this is requested to contact MTU Public Safety as noted below.

"As we indicated Wednesday evening, a threatening note was found in the restroom in the ROTC building on the Michigan Tech campus. The area was secured by Public Safety officers and US Army and Air Force Officers who occupy the building. The area has been processed for evidence and this has been sent to the State Police Crime Laboratory. The building has been locked down for the semester, and only students and employees with regular access will be able to enter. We increased our police patrols last night and all local and state police authorities have been notified. We will continue increased patrols for the remainder of the semester.

"You may also want to check out the Safety First website at http://www.mtu.edu/safety/ for additional information. If you have any information regarding this incident please contact Public Safety at 906-487-2216 or by dialing 911.

"We will send additional information as it becomes available.

Thank you,

Glenn Mroz"

Updated: Calumet Theatre to go green with Earthday Festival Apr. 19

CALUMET -- An Earthday Festival will be held Saturday, Apr. 19, at the Calumet Theater. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the Theatre Ballroom a variety of Upper Peninsula participants will present workshops, seed planting, demonstrations, art and music activities, exhibits on sustainable design, a program on alternative community power sources, handmade goods, refreshments and more. Admission to the ballroom is free.

A concert beginning at 7 p.m. will feature he Earth Works Music Collective, including Seth Bernard, Daisy May, Jen Sygit, Breathe Owl Breathe, Chris Dorman, Darlene, Susan Fawcett, Brandon Foote, Laura Bates and Luke Winslow-King. Over a dozen musicians take the stage in a round robin, song-swapping setting. Admission is $15, $13 for Theatre members and $8 for students.

The following is a list of presentations and activities in the Ballroom:

Keweenaw Krayons: Hands on seed planting and art activities
Mission statement: To provide a safe, mentoring, intergenerational environment for everyone in which they can participate in creative educational activities, regardless of their economic or social status.
10 Stanton Ave., PO Box 191
Mohawk, MI 49950
906-337-47061
kkpr@charterinternet.com
www.keweenawkrayons.com

Keweenaw Food Co-op
Offering healthy soup, snacks and refreshments from 5-7 p.m. and during intermission
info@keweenaw.coop

Seeds
A non-profit research, design and educational institution whose mission is to seek the development of socially and ecologically sustainable environments. We foster projects that are participatory in nature and holistic in perspective. To this end, we act as an educational and networking resource. SEEDS focuses on incubating projects that lessen our ecological footprint and designing spaces conducive to this.
www.ecoseeds.org

The Keweenaw Land Trust
Mission: A community partner protecting land, water and quality of life through conservation, stewardship and education.
Our Vision: The Keweenaw Land Trust empowers landowners and citizens to create and conserve a landscape that is beautiful, healthy and diverse, to sustain wildlife, strengthen our local economy and provide recreational opportunities that together enhance our quality of life.
801 N. Lincoln Dr., Suite 201A
Hancock, MI 49930
906-482-0820

Northern Options
Northern Options Energy Center
205 S. Front St. Suite 2F
Marquette, MI 49855
906-226-1136
www.northernoptions.com

Earthwork Music
CD’s, T-shirts, Posters and more!
The Earthwork Music collective believes in the intrinsic and historical power of music to raise both community and self-awareness and serves to facilitate and encourage original music in the state of Michigan and beyond.
www.earthworkmusic.com

Ryan Dalman Pottery
Wood Fired Pottery
DalmanPottery@Ironbay.net

Autumn Start Designs
Autumn Star Designs is a small company dedicated to providing conscious clothing using ancient dyeing techniques. We select fibers not only for quality, but also for sustainability. Our garments are made using all natural and organic fibers like hemp, organic cotton, and wool. Our fabrics are naturally dyed in small batches, using earth's botanical treasures and pigments, resulting in one of a kind garments. The techniques used are environmentally conscious with plenty of love and
creativity mixed in.
www.autumnstardesigns.com

Yana Dee
Clothing and accessories from natural and salvaged materials.
Handmade in Michigan
www.yanadee.com

Barbara Hardy and Viki Weglarz
Presentation Title: Backyard Ecosystems, A short animation that spotlights on ecological design principles and how they can be applied in our own backyard. Barb and Viki are on a quest for the best home-scale food, water, energy, and shelter systems for northern climates. They share a love of the outdoors and take pleasure in providing for their families' needs through direct means. Viki brings over 20 years experience of living and gardening in the Keweenaw, and Barb brings 15 years of sustainable design practice. They are both students of Permaculture Design.

Slide Show Presentations (In order of appearance):

Melissa Davis
New Home Power Tour
Presentation on alternative community power sources.

Raymond Weglarz
Presentation Title: Canoeing the Rivers of the Western UP.
Enjoy the scenery and learn about the wild rivers in the western UP that Ray and friends have canoed for over 30 years.

Rick Loduha
Sustainable Design Presentation and Demonstration
Rick has been a professional designer since 1972, a dedicated green designer since the early 1980’s and has been teaching university-level sustainable design since 1991. He has been in partnership with designer Barbara Hardy in R+r Sustainable Design since 1997. R+r is currently practicing here in the U.P. in commercial and residential sustainable interior architecture, in-fill architectural design, waste stream resource reclamation and inventive reuse design.

Mary Hindelang PhD,
Presentation Title: Wild Nature
Description: Places and animals I have had the honor to visit. Wilderness is defined as “...an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Fortunate to be that visitor who does not remain, I carry these memories of the wild in my heart as I travel on.

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club awarded grant for brushcutters

HANCOCK -- A grant from the Keweenaw Community Foundation's Cross Country Skiing Endowment has made it possible for the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) to purchase new equipment for maintenance of the Maasto Hiihto Trails. The $500 grant, awarded last December, provides partial funding of power trimmers/brushcutters and safety accessories.

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) Board members display the Club's new trimmers/ brushcutters after their February 2008 meeting in the Maasto Hiihto Chalet in Hancock. Pictured are, from left, Jay Green, John Diebel, Ruth Archer, Wayne Stordahl and Arlyn Aronson. The purchase of the new trail maintenance equipment is thanks to a grant from the Keweenaw Community Foundation. The KNSC will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Apr. 16, in the Chalet. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

The KNSC purchased two Honda trimmers/brushcutters from Superior Rent-All at an end-of-season price plus an added discount provided by Superior Rental-All and Honda. The club also purchased helmets with hearing and eye/face protection.

Wayne Stordahl, head of trail maintenance for KNSC, said the trimmers/brushcutters will be a big help in brushing the trails in the fall because they are heavy-duty and will cut down small saplings. Up to now, most of the volunteers have used grass trimmers. While useful in some grassy areas, grass trimmers are not adequate for a majority of the fall clearing work. Now more volunteers can be accommodated, and the job can be done much more quickly.

KNSC operates the Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids cross country ski trails -- a system of 25 kilometers of striding-only ski trails passing through the beautiful Swedetown Creek gorge and the surrounding uplands in and adjacent to the City of Hancock. Snowshoers are welcome to use the trails also during the ski season. Mountain bikers, hikers, walkers and trail runners use the trails in the warmer months, thus benefiting from the maintenance of the ski trails.

The KNSC board of directors wants to thank the Keweenaw Community Foundation and Superior Rent-All for their generous support and encourages the general public to support the Foundation by dropping by 326 Shelden Ave, Houghton, calling 482-9673, or by visiting the Keweenaw Community Foundation Web site.

Volunteers are always welcome for trail maintenance and other club activities. Contact Board President Ruth Archer at 906-482-4957 or Board Member Arlyn Aronson at 487-2992.

The annual meeting of the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will be at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 16. Elections will be held. The meeting will be in the chalet at the Houghton County Fairgrounds in Hancock.

Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, call 482-4957.

Hancock's Swedetown Creek: Is it, was it, will it be -- a park?

By Michele Bourdieu

HANCOCK -- The Hancock City Council will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 16. So far, the issue of the City's potential land sale near the mouth of Swedetown Creek, in Government Lot 5, is absent from the agenda.

This photo of Swedetown Creek, taken today, Apr. 15, 2008, near M-203, shows what appears to be a beaver dam not far from the road. A natural trail, covered now by melting snow, leads to the mouth of the creek at the Portage Waterway, a favorite kayak launching site. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Swedetown Creek appears neither under Old Business nor under New Business, but for many Hancock residents it is "unfinished" business.

At the March 19, 2008, Hancock City Council meeting, a proposal to make the city-owned portion of Government Lot 5 a City park, which would preclude selling two potential 100-ft. residential lots near the creek, failed to pass because of a tied vote of 3-3, with one member of the Council, Bill Laitila, absent.

Councilor Lisa McKenzie, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee appointed to study the Swedetown Creek issue and make a recommendation to the Council, said today that a second vote is possible. (Any of the Councilors who voted "no" or Councilor Laitila, because of his absence, can legally request a second vote during a City Council meeting.)

During the Mar. 19 Hancock City Council meeting, Councilor Lisa McKenzie, center, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee for Swedetown Creek, explains the Committee's recommendation to confirm the area as a park. Also pictured are Councilors Tom Gemignani, right, also a member of the Ad Hoc Committee, and Sarah Baratono. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

"The City sometimes moves slowly, but in some cases it's good because you're more thorough in answering all the questions that are posed in these types of issues," McKenzie said. "I think people, if they're interested, should come to the meeting. The public is always welcome to attend to voice their support and concerns."

Since the summer of 2007, residents have appeared at Council and Planning Commission meetings and written letters to City officials to request that the City preserve the area in its present natural state for public access and recreation. It is a favorite spot for fishing, walking, kayaking, birding and picnicking. The Copper Country Audubon Club has offered the City $1000 plus volunteer hours to maintain it as a bird sanctuary open to the public since several species of migratory birds have been observed in the area.

Swollen with April snow melt, Swedetown Creek gurgles down to the Portage Waterway in Hancock at a peaceful spot far enough from traffic to attract birds. A woodpecker and songbirds were present today, though the video, overwhelmed by the rushing of the stream, could not quite pick them up. (Video clip © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

In spite of a 1941 deed from the State of Michigan that states the area is "to be used solely for park and recreational purposes" and an error in the 2001 Recreation Plan (for lack of a survey) that listed the property as part of Hancock Township and the owner as the State of Michigan (perhaps because of the Department of Natural Resources maintaining the boat launch area), the City Council, on advice from the City's attorney, concluded last fall that a vote of the Council would be necessary to "make it a park."*

Last November the Council appointed the Ad Hoc Committee to study the issue and to make a recommendation to the Council.

At the March 19 Council meeting, that Committee -- Councilors Lisa McKenzie, Tom Gemignani and Ted Belej -- recommended the Council make the city-owned portion of Government Lot 5 area a park.

McKenzie pointed out that the 1941 Deed was in effect at the time the City Charter was adopted in 1988. The Charter states, "...no park or cemetery, as legally described upon adoption of this Charter, may be sold by the City unless approved by majority of the electors voting thereon at any general or special election."

This view toward the east of Swedetown Creek shows part of the area the City has proposed to sell for two residential lots of 100 ft. each. The Hancock Planning Commission recommended a buffer of another 100 ft. between the creek and the lots. In a 2003 quit claim deed, the State of Michigan relinquished reversionary interest in the property but reserved for the public the right of ingress and egress across the property for access to water. Public comments have suggested that right could make residential development on this site unattractive to potential buyers. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)


"We're just clarifying that it is a park," McKenzie said. "We can sell it, but it needs to go to a vote of the people."

Councilor James Hainault stated several objections to making the area a park.

He said the issue was complicated by the presence of a house on Government Lot 5 (a discovery made when the recent survey of the area concluded the Hancock city limit extended farther west than the present sign indicates) and a piece of private property (known as the Mayra Exception) "in the middle of" the property. Hainault also cited a need for taxes.

"We would lose an opportunity to generate revenue we sorely need," he said.

Hainault noted the Hancock Planning Commission had recommended selling part of the property on two occasions.** He added that the Recreation Commission was not consulted in this process and the Recreation Plan does not list Swedetown Creek or Government Lot 5 in its list of 29 needs for the City. Hainault said several people present at this meeting were also at the public hearings held before the Recreation Plan was adopted.

"Hancock needs to grow," Hainault said, mentioning the need for a larger tax base to cover services. "We also have an obligation to keep our taxes as low as possible for the residents of the city."

Hainault also repeated what he had said at a previous meeting -- that the City has more parks than it can afford to maintain now.

"I can't imagine why we would want to tie up this property at this time," he said. "We as elected officials need to find the highest and best use of that property."

McKenzie expressed the Ad Hoc Committee's view that the Swedetown Creek area is already a park. She explained that the 1941 deed was in force at the time of the 1988 City Charter.

"We're just clarifying that it is a park," she said. "We can sell it, but it needs to go to a vote of the people."

The three Ad Hoc Committee members voted in favor of their recommendation, but their vote failed because the other three Council members present -- James Hainault, Sarah Baratono and Mayor Barry Givens -- voted "no."

The Committee's second recommendation at the March 19 meeting -- to make the Wright Addition/Lake Street 500-ft. waterfront parcel, 2.5 acres, a City Park -- also failed by an identical 3-3 vote.

Joe Kaplan, a member of the Hancock Citizens' Forum, said he felt the Ad Hoc Committee was correct in recognizing the 1941 deed and the City Charter that restricts the sale of legally described park land without a vote of the public.

"I believe the Ad Hoc Committee has a genuine interest in protecting this parcel," Kaplan said.

Last December Kaplan also sent a detailed list of background information on Government Lot 5 to Mayor Barry Givens and the Ad Hoc Committee members. In the attached letter to Givens, he states, "Since the Hancock City Charter requires the approval of the voters to sell city park (and cemetery) property, it is imperative that the City Council determine the current status of the Swedetown site before recommending sale of any portion of the property to private interests. To argue that Swedetown Creek is not already a city park requires an explanation of how, at the time the Charter was adopted in 1988, the property at Swedetown Creek could be held in city ownership and used for purposes other than 'park and recreation.'"

The regular 7:30 p.m. City Council meeting on Wednesday, Apr. 16, will be preceded by a Work Session at 6:30 p.m. Both are open to the public.

Gustavo Bourdieu, Keweenaw Now photographer, and Gordito, Keweenaw Now mascot, both contributed to this article today ("trail safety patrol"). (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Editor's Notes: * See our article of March 18, 2008, for background on the Swedetown Creek issue and a report on the Ad Hoc Committee meeting of March 10, 2008.

** See our Sept. 17, 2007, article on the August Planning Commission meeting.

Dance, comic skits add fun to International Night

HOUGHTON -- The theme for Michigan Tech's International Night 2008, held April 5 in the Rozsa Center, was "Story Telling Around the World." The MTU African Students Organization contributed a skit that tells a story in pidgin English, a combination of African language and English as used in West Africa. Their lively African dance tells another story ...

During International Night 2008, members of MTU's African Students Organization dramatize and translate "Pidgin English and its Works," or, how to meet a girl speaking Pidgin.

Members of the MTU African Students Organization perform an African dance during International Night April 5 in the Rozsa Center. (Videos © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Click on photo for a larger view of the dancers. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Representing South American culture, Braden Giacobazzi and Maggie Kieckhafer dance "Tango Fusion -- Traene Paz." (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Tim Hammond, as the World Culture student, seeks advice from Angela Nordeng, the Angel of Culture, during one of their "story telling" skits during MTU's International Night 2008. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Watch for more photos and videos of International Night, coming soon!

Kivajat Finnish dancers perform at International Night 2008

The Kivajat Finnish Dance group performs a Finnish folk dance during International Night, sponsored by Michigan Tech's International Club on April 5 at the Rozsa Center. Kay Seppala directs the local group of youth dancers. (Video clip by Michele Bourdieu)

Kivajat Director Kay Seppala plays a milkmaid churning butter while Hal Seppala tries to charm her in this humorous Finnish folk dance they performed during International Night, April 5, in the Rozsa Center. (Video clip by Michele Bourdieu)

Watch for more video clips and photos of International Night, coming soon ...

Carnegie Museum to host three exhibits about Isle Royale

A peaceful, scenic view of Duncan Narrows on Isle Royale. (Photo © 2007 and courtesy John Vucetich)

HOUGHTON -- Beginning Apr. 12, the Carnegie Museum in Houghton will be celebrating Isle Royale with three exhibits about the island.

An opening reception for the first exhibit, "Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale: Fifty Years of Research," will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 12. John Vucetich, Michigan Tech University assistant professor of wildlife ecology, Rolf Peterson, MTU professor of wildlife ecology and George Desort, filmmaker, will introduce this exhibit about their work on Isle Royale. The exhibit tells about the longest study of any predator-prey system in the world.

Rolf Peterson, MTU professor of wildlife ecology and world-renowned researcher, speaks about his Isle Royale wolf-moose research on March 20 during MTU's Earth Week. Peterson will attend an opening of the exhibit, "Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale: Fifty Years of Research," on Apr. 12 at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

The second exhibit, "Above and Below: Shipwrecks of Isle Royale," features underwater photographs of Isle Royale shipwrecks, accompanied by historic newspaper accounts of the accidents. An opening reception with photographer Bill Reynolds will be held in late April.

The museum will also host a selection of artwork from the Isle Royale National Park's Artist-in-Residence Collection. A reception for some of the artists will be held in May.

The Carnegie Museum is on the corner of Huron and Montezuma in historic downtown Houghton. Hours are Tuesday 12 noon - 7 p.m., Thursday 12 noon - 5 p.m. and Saturday 12 noon - 4 p.m.

Nordic Film Series to present Norwegian film Apr. 10

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Nordic Film Series continues Thursday, Apr. 10, with the Norwegian film Elling. Showings will begin at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street, Hancock.

After two years in a psychiatric hospital, Elling and his somewhat denser roommate, Kjell Bjarne, return to the so-called real world. As their confidence grows, they find unusual ways to cope with society; and they strike up the most peculiar friendships in the most unlikely places.

Elling, released in 2002, won multiple international film awards. It was an Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Film.

The film is in Norwegian with English subtitles. It is unrated. If you have questions about its content or need more information, please call 906-487-7302.

Updated: Guatemalan human rights leader to speak Apr. 10, 11

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP) is sponsoring a presentation on Guatemala by Jerónimo (pronounced Heh-RO-nemo) Osorio Chen at 7 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 11, following a 6 p.m. potluck at Little Brothers, 527 Hancock Street, Hancock.

Jerónimo Osorio Chen (holding paper) chats with a fellow Guatemalan. Osorio will speak on resource use and development in Guatemala. (Photo courtesy NISGUA, Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala)

Osorio represents the grassroots Ixcán Referendum Commission, which supports the struggles of the indigenous Maya people of Guatemala to determine their own resource use and development in the face of overwhelming pressure from international corporations. A human rights leader from rural Ixcán, Quiché, Guatemala, Osorio has worked for more than a decade to promote indigenous rights, cooperative economics and citizen participation in the face of threats from corporate-led development schemes, including mega-projects and free trade.

A former elected official in the local government, Osorio has played a key role in organizing and doing follow-up work on a 2007 referendum in which people in the Ixcán voted against the Xalalá hydroelectric dam and oil exploration in the region.

Citizens of Santa Maria Tzeja, Guatemala, vote in a referendum about the proposed dam project at Xalalá. (Photo © 2008 and courtesy Kim Kern)

Osorio is an Achi Maya from Río Negro, where the Guatemalan government committed several massacres in the 1980s against communities that opposed the building of the Chixoy dam on their lands. He will speak about people’s struggles to oppose the Xalalá Dam and the importance of avoiding a repeat of the Chixoy tragedy, including the repression, loss of lands and damage to the ecosystem associated with massive dam projects.

Children of Ixcán express their opposition to the dam project with signs. (Photo courtesy NISGUA)

Call 482-6827 for more information.

Osorio to speak at Michigan Tech Apr. 10

Osorio will give a similar presentation on resource use and development in Guatemala at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 10, in Room 641 of the Dow Building on the Michigan Tech campus. Anyone interested in the topic may attend either presentation.

"The topic is relevant to those who are interested in water resource management policies and sustainable future initiatives and, in general, to those interested in the issues of the development of the 'third world' and how this affects small communities," said Rudiger Escobar Wolf, Ph.D. student in Michigan Tech's Department of Geological Engineering and Sciences.

Updated: Junior Olympics cross-country skiers enjoy Alaska trip

By Jay Woodbeck

HANCOCK -- Alaska was amazing! There were fantastic ski trails at Kincaid Park and amazing sights to see around Anchorage. The trails were right by the ocean and offered spectacular mountain views. On clear days, you can see Mt. McKinley from various spots on the trails.

They didn’t have a very good snow year in Anchorage this year, but the organizers and volunteers were able to shovel snow on the trails and change course routes so that I could never tell that I was only skiing on a few inches of snow.

Jay Woodbeck, author of this article, skis in the classic sprint on Mar. 10, 2008, the first day of the Junior Olympics competition held at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo © 2008 Dean Woodbeck. Reprinted with permission.)

Racing started on Monday, Mar. 10, with the classic sprint race. Unfortunately, my coaches and I had a bit of a miscommunication; and I didn’t have very good kick for the race. I double-poled my fastest for the qualifier and ended up in 82nd place (the J1 boys' field was about 95 deep in all of the races).

The next race was on Wednesday and ended up being the individual start 10 Km skate instead of the scheduled mass start 15 Km classic, because the organizers switched the two races. The course had some big hills, but it flowed very well and was enjoyable to ski. I came in 80th place.

Jay Woodbeck skis in the 10 km skate race during the Junior Olympics competition in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo © 2008 Dean Woodbeck. Reprinted with permission.)

Thursday was a training day. After previewing the next day’s classic course, we went for a drive to the Portage Glacier along the Seward Highway. There were some spectacular views of mountains on both sides of the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet. We picked a great day to go, as it was warm and sunny and the views of the glacier were breathtaking.

Local skiers, members of the 2008 Great Lakes Division Team for the Junior Olympics, visit the Portage Glacier near Anchorage, Alaska. Pictured, from left, are Olivia Orr (Hancock), Kai Sharp (Houghton), Jay Woodbeck (Hancock), Madelyn Shoup (Houghton), Ruth Oppliger (Hancock) and Mariah Featherly (2007 Houghton high school graduate). (Photo © 2008 Jay Woodbeck. Reprinted with permission.)

With a morning start time, the classic skiing was perfect on Friday. Training on the hills around here paid off for me, as I had my best individual race of the week, finishing in 67th place, while managing to avoid crashes after the mass start. A non-racing highlight on Friday was getting up-close and personal with a moose while skiing by her during my cool down. Earlier in the week I also saw one walking on the street in front of our hotel in downtown Anchorage.

Pictured here in the 3x5 km relay race, held Saturday, Mar. 15, Jay Woodbeck, center, skis with his team to a 20th-place finish, his best race of the week. (Photo © 2008 Dean Woodbeck. Reprinted with permission.)

The final race was the 3x5 km relay race on Saturday. I had my best race of the week, passing nine teams on my leg to help my team -- consisting of me and two other Great Lakes skiers from Marquette -- to a 20th-place finish among the J1 boys teams.

Great Lakes Division Team members pause for a group photo on a bridge at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, during the 2008 Junior Olympics cross-country ski races. (Photo © 2008 Jay Woodbeck. Reprinted with permission.)

I had a great experience at Junior Olympics, and all of my hard work and training over the past year has really paid off. I would like to thank the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, Copper Country Ski Tigers and the Copper Island Ski Club for the generous scholarships that they gave me. Also, I would like to thank my coach Mike Young, who put in countless hours to help me prepare for the event. I am very grateful that the local ski community is so supportive of junior skiing in the Copper Country.

Editor's Note: Jay Woodbeck, the author of this article, is a member of the Copper Country Ski Tigers. His Dad, Dean Woodbeck, who took most of these photos, has also published articles and more photos of the Junior Olympics on his new blog, Keweenaw Tales.

Fourth Annual Northern Lights Film Festival at MTU, Apr. 3 - 5

Zana Briski, director of the 2004 Academy Award-winning documentary Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids, is pictured here with one of the children featured in the film. It will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, Apr. 4, in MTU's McArdle Theatre, as part of the Northern Lights Film Festival. (Photo courtesy Northern Lights Film Festival)

HOUGHTON -- The Northern Lights Film Festival returns to the McArdle Theatre at Michigan Tech Thursday through Saturday, Apr. 3-5, with three days of independent films, talks and featured guests Geralyn White Dreyfous and Avijit Halder.

Dreyfous is currently the Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Film Center and was Executive Producer of the 2004 Academy Award-winning documentary Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids. Dreyfous will be accompanied by Avijit Halder, one of the children who learned photography in this inspiring film about the power of art and the resiliency of children. Dreyfous and Halder will be on hand to introduce the film at 7 p.m. Friday, Apr. 4. They will also discuss Kids with Cameras, the international organization founded as a result of the film.

Avijit Halder is one of the child photographers featured in the film, Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids, which will be shown at 7 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 4., during the Northern Lights Film Festival at Michigan Tech's McArdle Theatre. Halder and Geralyn White Dreyfous (pictured above left), executive producer of the film, will introduce and discuss the film. (Photos courtesy Northern Lights Film Festival)

In addition to the presentation of Born Into Brothels, Friday will offer screenings at noon of two documentary shorts -- Kick Like a Girl, about a girls' soccer team that winds up competing with the boys, and Pulling Together: The Little Community that Could, about local fitness director Terry Smythe and the diverse group of people who rowed their way to victory in the North American Indoor Rowing Competition.

At 4 p.m. on Friday, Diane Shoos, president of the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter, will introduce Sisters in Law, the story of two women who began prosecuting domestic violence cases in a small Cameroon community.

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 3, the festival will be screening 2007 Student Academy Award Winners and, at 7 p.m., The Death of Michael Smith, filmed on location in Detroit by up-and-coming Michigan filmmaker Daniel Casey. Thursday evening’s events will be hosted by the new Enterprise team, Cin/Optic Media, which brings together video production with product development for the consumer video market. The team will make a short presentation about the Enterprise and be on hand to answer questions about its plans and prospects.

Saturday’s events begin at 1:30 p.m. with Geralyn White Dreyfous, who will talk about the business of independent film. There will be more short films at 4 p.m., including If There Were No Lutherans…Would There Still Be Green Jello?

A new film produced by Dreyfous, In a Dream, will be screened at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Northern Lights is proud to be one of the first festivals to screen this film, which was named one of the ten best films at the SXSW film festival this year. It documents the artistic and personal odyssey of Isaiah Zagar, a mosaic artist who has covered over 40,000 square feet of Philadelphia with his art.

At 7 p.m. on Saturday, the festival presents two short documentaries, Ladies of the Land, which looks at the growing number of women organic farmers, and Alces Alces Uncut, by George Desort, who will soon be releasing his film about the 50-year Isle Royale Wolf and Moose Study.

Finally, the festival will wrap up with two award-winning experimental films, Establishing Shots and Foggy Mountains Break Down More than Non-Foggy Mountains.

The McArdle Theatre is located on the second floor of the Walker Arts and Humanities building on the MTU campus, next to the Rozsa Center. The festival is sponsored by MTU's Visiting Women and Minority Lecturer/Scholar Series and by the departments of Humanities, Visual and Performing Arts and Educational Opportunity. For festival details visit the Northern Lights Web site or contact Erin Smith at 487-3263.

Public Form on "Zoning: Protection not Restriction" to be Apr. 3 in Hancock

HANCOCK -- "Zoning: Protection not Restriction" is the topic of a Public Forum to be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 3, at Lakeview Manor Community Room, 1401Quincy, Hancock. Kurt Schindler, land use educator, will facilitate. The forum is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Houghton County Planning Commission. For more information call 482-3270.

Calumet Theatre to hold Anniversary Gathering, Silent Auction Mar. 29

CALUMET -- This Saturday, Mar. 29, will be an evening of elegance at the Calumet Theatre's Anniversary Gathering and Silent Auction. This adult (over 21) semi-formal event celebrates the Theatre's 108th and the Theatre Company's 25th anniversaries.

The evening will include great food and beverage, dance presentations from the MTU Social and Swing Clubs, musical entertainment for your dancing pleasure, a silent auction and door prizes! The event is catered by John Gervais from the Waterfront Restaurant. The social hour begins at 5 p.m.

Auction items include a Howard Miller solid oak Millennium Edition wall clock from Herman Jewelers, a Joe Kirkish original print, numerous gift certificates, Theatre items, and much more.

All proceeds benefit the Capital Improvement Fund. Seating is limited, so reserve tickets today by calling the Calumet Theatre (906) 337-2610. Tickets are $50 per person; contact the Box Office for group rates. For more information about this event, please call the Calumet Theatre Business Office at (906) 337-2166 or e-mail Billie at projectscoordinator@hotmail.com.

Supporters of the event include Calumet Floral, Calumet Mercantile, Calumet Pizza Works, Citizens Bank, Copper Country Veterinary Clinic, Copper World, Herman Jewelers, Isle Royale Line Inc., Joe Kirkish, Modern Heating, North Wind Books, Parkway Chevrolet, Peninsula Copper Industries, the Ramada, Superior National Bank, Spirit of the North Wellness Center, Swede's Gift Shop and the Wilderness Carwash.

MTU International Club to present "Storytelling around the World" April 5

HOUGHTON -- Tickets are now on sale for International Night 2008: "Storytelling around the World," to be presented by Michigan Tech's International Club on Saturday, April 5.

Student participants in International Nite 2007 gather in the Rozsa Lobby. (Photo courtesy MTU International Club. Reprinted with permission.)

Students from various countries will narrate a series of colorful sagas and tales from different parts of the world in the forms of drama, music, dance and songs. The tradition of "Storytelling" in diverse cultures will be highlighted with cultural symbolism and historical significance. Stories from the United States, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean will be included.

Musicians and dancers perform at International Nite 2007. (Photo courtesy MTU International Club. Reprinted with permission.)

An exotic international cuisine representing diverse regions of the world will be served starting at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building (MUB) Commons. The Performance will start at 8 p.m. at the Rozsa Center. (Please observe the No Late Seating Policy).

Tickets are now available on campus at the MUB Table, Rozsa Box Office, SDC, and Fisher Hall Lobby. Tickets for both the Dinner and the Performance are $10 for students and $12 for the general public. Performance-only tickets are $5. Children under the age of 5 are admitted free.

Invite your families and friends to experience a myriad of culture and traditions at this event.

World Water Day: March 22, 2008

MARQUETTE -- Today, March 22, 2008, is World Water Day. an international day of observance and action to draw attention to the plight of those without access to safe drinking water.

How clean is our water? Martin Auer, Michigan Tech University professor in environmental engineering, specializing in surface water quality engineering, shows a young visitor how to examine samples from Portage Lake during an educational boat ride on MTU's research boat Agassiz during the Strawberry Festival in Chassell last July. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)

According to the World Water Day Web site, "For more than a billion people –- about one in six people on earth -- getting safe water each day is no easy task. Women and children around the world walk 200 million hours every day for water -- water that often comes from a polluted source."

In Tamil Nadu, India, more than 20,000 women will attend the Gramalaya World Water Day Celebration. Gramalaya in association with WaterPartners International and WaterAid, UK, is organizing this event to highlight the importance of water conservation, sanitation and hygiene practices among rural and urban communities.

Here in the Keweenaw, surrounded by our large fresh-water lake, perhaps we can reflect today on ways to conserve water and keep our beautiful watershed clean.

Thanks to Save the Wild UP for this reminder.

Visit the World Water Day Web site to learn more.

Vertin Gallery exhibits "Butterflies in Snow"

"Butterflies in Snow," by Carrie Flaspohler, is part of an exhibit at the Vertin Gallery in Calumet.
(Photo courtesy Keweenaw Krayons)

CALUMET -- "Butterflies in the Snow" is the theme for the March Show at Calumet ’s Vertin Gallery. The opening reception, featuring artist Carrie Flaspohler, will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Mar. 21.

Flaspohler uses nature as a metaphor, striving to communicate the beautiful, fragile and ultimately resilient nature of the human experience.

"In many of my paintings, the central iconic image represents composure, strength and hope," she stated.

Flaspohler, who has two butterfly in the snow paintings in the show, uses butterflies, birds and dragonflies as symbols of the human capacity to adapt to changing circumstances. In these paintings, she places the butterfly or bird in adverse environments such as fires, thorns or ice.

“Essentially, my work is about hope and rising above adversity,” she explained.

Kerri Corser, gallery associate for the Vertin Gallery in Calumet, has had the thought of butterflies in the snow for at least a year.

"What a miracle it would be to actually see a butterfly in the snow, when many are craving bright colors after months of snow and ice," Corser said.

Flaspohler’s paintings will be joined by brightly colored butterflies and snowflakes, created by Melissa Hronkin’s Ontonagon School ’s elementary art classes.

"These will be hanging in the side windows of the gallery during the exhibit," Corser noted.

Current hours at the Vertin Gallery, which is located on the corner of Oak and Sixth Street in Calumet, are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information may be obtained by calling the Vertin at 337-2200.