Allyson Jabusch: Why I'm running for City Council

Editor's Note: Allyson Jabusch is a write-in candidate for Ward II representation on the Hancock City Council. This is a non-partisan position for a regular four-year term on the Council.

By Allyson Jabusch

Ward II Voters,

I ask you to write in my name to represent you on the Hancock City Council.

I am a mom who works outside the home and whose children are now grown. We have lived in Hancock for 16 years. My goal for the Council is to plan for growth that takes the interests of residents into account and that supports development downtown instead of sprawling business to outlying areas. My vision is to preserve the historic character of Hancock while insuring a forward looking community with a long-range plan.

During the July 18, 2007, Hancock City Council public hearing on Government Lot 5 and the potential sale of City land near Swedetown Creek, Allyson Jabusch, standing at the podium, requests that the Council table the vote on the area of Government Lot #5 near Swedetown Creek and instruct the Planning Commission to hold another public hearing. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)*

My interest in city government was spiked during the public hearing on the sale of Government Lot 5. Despite a large public turn out in opposition to the sale, some City officials nevertheless favor the sale. This piece of shoreline needs to be protected and saved for public use for now and forever. By maintaining City ownership of this land the City is protecting a watershed, a fishing spot for young and old, plus shoreline cover for birds, within city limits (the local Audubon group offered the City a $1000 gift towards this area).

This photo of Swedetown Creek, taken on Nov. 1, 2008, from the hiking trail on the west side of the creek, shows a part of Government Lot 5, near the mouth of the creek at the Portage Waterway. The area originally proposed for residential sales is on the east side of the creek (just beyond the left side of the photo). Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

It is an important recreational resource, which would indirectly protect our own property values as it preserves a lovely wild-like green space, within city limits!

If you are a resident of Ward II and wish to vote for me, remember to print my name exactly, ALLYSON JABUSCH, and to darken the oval next to my name.

Allyson Jabusch
929 Maple Street
Hancock, MI 49930
ally.jabusch@gmail.com

* Keweenaw Now's article on this public meeting is available on our archived site. Click here to read the article. Consecutive articles on this issue have been published on our present Keweenaw Now blog.

Comentario de Gustavo: el Día de las Brujas en Calumet

Pumpkins carved by Elise Matz for Keweenaw Krayons' first annual benefit "Carve -a-thon" sit outside the Fifth and Elm Café in Calumet on Friday, Oct. 31. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Editor's Note: This is the fifth in a series of "Comentarios y fotos" by Gustavo Bourdieu, Keweenaw Now photographer, for our readers who speak, read or study Spanish. In this comentario, Gustavo comments on our Halloween traditions and the difference between past and present.

By Gustavo Bourdieu

HANCOCK -- "Cómo cambian los tiempos," decía mi madre, y tenía mucha razón. El viernes fui a sacar unas fotos para Keweenaw Now a Calumet en el café Fifth and Elm, y mientras tomaba las fotos conversaba con la artista Elise Matz que estaba calando las calabazas para el Día de las Brujas (Halloween).

Advancing toward her goal of 26 pumpkins for Keweenaw Krayons, Elise Matz carves a pumpkin in front of the Fifth and Elm Café in Calumet on Halloween. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Le comentaba que ahora, después de algunos años, las brujas son admiradas y todo el mundo quiere ser brujo como Harry Potter, hacer embrujos y volar en las noches de luna llena. Se venden disfraces e imágenes; todos quieren participar en esa festividad.

Pensar que no hace mucho tiempo -- más o menos 200 años (no es mucho para la historia de la humanidad) -- las brujas se perseguían y se quemaban vivas, al igual que ocurrió con los piratas, verdaderos "terroristas" del pasado.

Yo pienso que si volviera a la época de mis antepasados españoles, que tengo por parte de mi madre, me condenarían a la santa inquisición por participar en estas festividades. Los sorprendería saber que ahora en estos tiempos hay equipos deportivos los cuales orgullosamente llevan el nombre de "Piratas" y que son un éxito las peliculas como "Piratas del Caribe"; es decir, si nuestros ancestros se levantaran de sus tumbas y vieran lo que hacemos los descendientes, volverían a morir al instante.

Pienso por eso que cada uno vive en su tiempo y que es muy dificil juzgar a la historia. Espero que todos hayan pasado un feliz Halloween.

Hasta la próxima,

Gustavo

Stupak: Houghton County voters energized in historic election

By U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee)

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- This year we have witnessed a truly historic election. From Saginaw Bay to the most northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, voters across the First District are energized and excited in a way that we have not seen for years. Times are tough now in northern Michigan, but we are tougher. Voters and volunteers are demonstrating that they are willing to fight for our middle class and protect our way of life.

From union halls to campaign headquarters, to people volunteering independently in their own neighborhoods, our campaign has seen an unprecedented surge in support and interest. Long-time voters are volunteering and new voters have signed up by the thousands. Hundreds of residents have registered to vote in Houghton County, which now holds the distinction of having the second most newly-registered voters per capita in the state of Michigan.

During my last trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula one week ago, I visited Houghton to walk door-to-door and talk with voters about their concerns. Braving our sometimes cool U.P. weather, more than 30 volunteers came together to pound the pavement for our Democratic candidates and talk to their neighbors about the challenges facing the First District, our state and our country.*

I am committed to the aggressive grassroots campaign that I have always run. After witnessing the energy and excitement of our volunteers, I have no doubt we will reach an unprecedented number of voters with our message of support for the middle class, reform of our healthcare system and a responsible government that works for each and every one of us. I look forward to working with a new administration to tackle these challenges facing our country and I ask for your continued support on Tuesday, November 4, 2008.

*Editor's Note: U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak spoke in Houghton at the recent meeting celebrating funding for the Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) SmartZone. Read the Keweenaw Now article, which includes a short videoclip from Mr. Stupak's speech. Read more about Bart Stupak and see endorsements of his re-election from major Michigan newspapers on the Congressman's campaign Web site, Bart Stupak for Congress.

Letter from Mary Hunt: Volunteers still needed for Democratic Get Out the Vote

By Mary Hunt, Houghton County Democrats Calumet office coordinator

CALUMET -- Election Day is next Tuesday. Then we can relax!

Yes, Barack Obama is ahead in the polls, thanks to excitement about him and to an economy in turmoil. But the Obama campaign and Houghton County Democrats are still working hard. We are NOT TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED!!!

A GOOD DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT:

*supports our outstanding ticket, from Senator Carl Levin, Congressman Bart Stupak and our own State Rep. Mike Lahti from the Copper Country to Houghton County Drain Commissioner John Pekkala.

* builds a stronger future for forward-looking, practical Democratic candidates in the U.P.

PLEASE consider signing up to help in our final Get Out the Vote push!! Meet a wonderful variety of involved neighbors and local Dems! Participate in this historic, pivotal election to rebuild the middle class (health care, education, jobs) that made America great!

It’s fun and there’s free food. ONLY strong Democratic households will be contacted…. This will be fun and easy. No persuasion. No questions about preference. This work has already been done.

CALL (517) 331-6122 OR (906) 483-2026 until 9 p.m., Sunday or Monday to sign up for a 4-hour phone or neighborhood shift.

WHERE? At the Houghton Obama office, 509 Shelden Ave. next to Book World, across from The Lode, Sunday and Monday. (Election Day, Tuesday, is pretty much booked up.)

Sorry, it’s not possible to work from Calumet. Possibly I, Mary Hunt, might help arrange rides from Calumet/Ahmeek, BUT recovery from recent knee surgery limits my involvement.

Get Out the Vote volunteers are still needed Sunday and Monday! Most work is going out and leaving literature at specified Democratic households.

THANKS for stopping by our Calumet "outpost" at 305 Sixth St. and helping out in your own ways.

Letter from U.S. Sen. Carl Levin: Vote "Yes" on Proposal 2

Dear Friends,

In Michigan, our laws preventing stem cell research are blocking some of America's best scientists and research universities from pursuing the great hope for curing debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Michigan is one of only five states that restrict this type of research.

This coming Tuesday, we have the opportunity to remove these outdated restrictions on embryonic stem cell research in Michigan by voting "Yes" on Proposal 2.

I support this proposal because I believe in allowing a life-giving purpose for embryos that are no longer needed by the couples who produced them, embryos which would be discarded and destroyed, even though a couple would like their unneeded embryos to be used for critical life-giving research. This proposal only deals with those embryos that will be discarded.

We should be helping our scientists, not hindering them.

Please take a moment and click here to learn how you can help support Proposal 2.

Opponents of embryonic stem cell research say that adult stem cell research has made significant advances and is sufficient. Adult stem cells, which are limited in the kind of cells they can become, have created some medical advances. However, embryonic stem cells are unique because they can grow into any form of tissue or organ. Adult stem cells cannot. Because of this unique trait, almost all scientists agree that embryonic stem cells offer vastly more potential than adult stem cells.

Thousands of embryos from fertilization clinics that are not going to be used for implantation will be destroyed. Why not give them a life-giving use?

Embryonic stem cell research is truly a life-giving process because of the extraordinary potential for healing the types of disease and afflictions that touch so many of us, our families and friends. It could hold the key to curing diseases that no other research could cure, including cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS, juvenile diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and many others.

Please take a moment and click here to learn how you can help support Proposal 2.

The opponents of Proposal 2 have refused to debate this issue on substance and have resorted to false statements about the effects of Proposal 2. Let's be clear: this Proposal does not allow human cloning. Such cloning is prohibited specifically by the language of the Proposal. The Proposal does not call for public funds to be directed to this kind of research and does not call for an increase of any taxes. And the proposal limits the use to only those stem cells currently being discarded as medical waste and only if allowed by federal law.

Supporters of embryonic stem cell research know that these breakthroughs will not come easily. But prohibiting it, and the cures it could lead to, is heartbreaking. Visit CureMichigan.com today and learn how you can become involved.

All the best,

Carl Levin

Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now requested and received permission from U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Detroit) to reprint this letter for our readers. Learn about Sen. Levin's positions on current issues by visiting his Web site.

All Souls Concert to benefit Omega House Nov. 1

HOUGHTON -- The second annual Omega House Benefit Concert will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Rozsa Center in Houghton. The All Souls Benefit Concert will feature Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine, Breathe Owl Breathe, The Squeaky Clean Cretins and Erin Smith.

Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine perform at the 2007 Omega House concert.

Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine are accomplished musicians with a huge local following. The two musicians have recorded both solo and duo albums. Their first duo album was recorded at the Calumet Theatre in 2006. May's sweet, soulful voice has mesmerized crowds across the country. Bernard, producer and multi-instrumentalist, has recorded several albums of original material on his own Earthwork Music label. More information about the artists can be found at www.earthworkmusic.com.

Breathe Owl Breathe is a Michigan duo comprised of Micah Middaugh and Andrea Moreno-Beals. The duo include an array of stringed instruments and brilliant vocal harmonies in their original songs. Their music is playful and heartfelt and appeals to any music lover. Breathe Owl Breathe has released four albums including the 2008 "Ghost Glacier" that has received national attention.

The Squeaky Clean Cretins call the Keweenaw home! The group includes Edmund J. Artibee, Graham Parsons, Keith Kinnear, Greg Wright and Mark McEvers. They released their debut album "of flesh, of marrow" in 2007 and have been touring and performing across the region at festivals, clubs and coffee houses to enthusiastic and packed crowds.

Erin Smith will join the line up as the MC for the evening and will share some of her musical talents between sets of the other artists.

A silent auction will also take place throughout the evening featuring one-of-a-kind artwork of several local and regional artists. Pottery, woven items, woodwork, jewelry and other items will be included. A weekend stay at Insel Haus Bed and Breakfast Retreat Center on Bois Blanc Island is also included in the auction.

Many sponsors have contributed to the event to ensure that all proceeds can go directly to Omega House. Sponsors for this year's event are Bob and Sarah Baratono, Tim and Nancy Baroni, Bucky Beach and Julie Belew, Jim and Linda Belote, Brian Geshel, Michelle Little and Family, Cindy Griffin, Rick Loduha and Barbara Hardy, Keweenaw Co-op and Natural Foods, Terry Kinzel and Sue Ellen Kingsley, Wanda and Mike Kolb, Kim Menzel/Indigo Creek Counseling, Michael R. Moore/Professional Communications Arts Enterprise at Michigan Tech University, John and Charmaine Parsons, Patty Markham Peterson, Ron and Dorothy Riutta, Hal Rudnianin, JD Slack and Kenny Svenson, "The Fitz"/Eagle River Inn, Ray and Diane Tiberg, Steve Uren and Carol Carr and Ray and Viki Weglarz.

Proceeds from the concert will go directly toward providing care for residents at Omega House -- the only hospice home in the Upper Peninsula. Omega House provides compassionate end-of-life care to all in the community who are in need regardless of ability to pay. Since opening in September 2005, Omega House has served over 130 residents and has already undertaken expansion to add two additional rooms to the original six-room home. For additional information about Omega House, visit www.omega-house.org, or call 906-482-4438.

Costume Contest with Raffle to benefit Save the Wild UP

MARQUETTE -- Heading for Marquette this weekend? Why not check out the Halloween Party and Costume Contest with Raffle to be held from 7 p.m. to midnight on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, at UpFront and Co., Marquette. The event will benefit Save the Wild UP.*

Judging begins at 9 p.m. The event is $3 for ages 18 and older. Costume Categories are Best Movie Costume – Grand prize; Best Overall Costume – Cash Prize; Best Couple; Funniest; Scariest. Bring some extra cash for a snapshot of you and your friends taken by CK Unlimited. Presented by Third Street Video and CK Unlimited Photography.

For more information: (906) 458-3700 or ckevent@ckunlimited.net.

*Visit the Save the Wild UP Web site to learn about their work to protect our waters from sulfide and uranium mining. Save the Wild UP announced today that their new publication, The Splash, is now available. Check inside the Marquette Monthly during the month of November or view the PDF version.

Scarlet Masquerade to feature fashion, Café Accordion orchestra Nov. 1

HANCOCK -- A fashion show performance by Finlandia University art and design major Pamela Kotila (Dodgeville, Mich.) will be featured at the MTU Social Dance Club second annual Scarlet Masquerade, to be held from 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Nov. 1, at the South Range Community Hall.

The performance, which includes original choreography, will preview eleven new, original costume garments designed and created by Kotila.

Pam Kotila works on one of her designs at Finlandia University's International School of Art and Design. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

"Pamela has been working with her models every weekend rehearsing the dance in preparation for the performance," said Phyllis Fredendall, Finlandia fiber arts associate professor." Her concept includes quite a cast of archetypal characters. Pamela’s aesthetic is strongly influenced by contemporary Japanese culture."

The Scarlet Masquerade also features music by the Café Accordion Orchestra: Tony Lowe, Camilo and Ted Alder. Based in the Twin Cities, this band returns to play a variety of danceable music for people who love to waltz, rumba, tango, Cha Cha, swing and more. If you missed them in Covington last August, don't miss them this time! With this combination of fashion and music, you'll feel as if you're dancing in Paris!

Dinner will be prepared by the Library Restaurant of Houghton and door prizes will be awarded.

It is to your benefit to purchase tickets prior to the dance: $10 with membebrship, $12 a single with no discount, and $18 a couple. At the door tickets are $10 with membership, $15 a single with no discount and $20 a couple.

There will be two dance workshops prior to the dance done by Ralph Tutilla and the Traverse City Troupe.

The theme is black and red, semi formal; masks are optional, but you should consider wearing one. Here is the schedule:

12 noon - Workshops Begin
5 p.m. - Workshops End
5:30 p.m. - Dance Begins
6:30 p.m. - Dinner Starts
6:45 p.m. - Fashion Show Starts
7:45 p.m. - Fashion Show Ends
8 p.m. - Dinner Ends - Cafe Accordion Starts Playing
10:30 p.m. - Unmasking Begins
11:30 p.m. - Cafe Accordion Stops Playing
12 p.m. Dance Ends.

For more information contact chhill@mtu.edu or call 906-487-2338.

Pumpkin Carving Marathon Oct. 31 to benefit Keweenaw Krayons

How many pumpkins can Elise Matz carve on Halloween? Enter your pledge! (Photo courtesy Keweenaw Krayons.)

CALUMET -- The 5th and Elm Coffee Shop in Calumet is the place: Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31 is the date, and Elise Matz is the carver for Keweenaw Krayons' First Annual Pumpkin Carv-a-Thon. Matz will begin her marathon carving at 7 a.m. and hopes to carve at least 26 of the big orange squash.

Pledges from area businesses and individuals are being sought. How many pumpkins do you think she can carve? How much will you pledge per pumpkin? What is your maximum pledge? All questions that are on the official pledge form being circulated by Matz and Keweenaw Krayons volunteers. Deadline for the pledges is 7 a.m. TOMORROW, HALLOWEEN, the day of the event.

Carved pumpkins will be available for purchase on site as they are completed.

Keweenaw Krayons photographers (assisted by student photographers from the BHK Great Explorations Program) will be on hand to take pictures of kids (and adults) in their costumes ($5 for a 4x6 photo) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. All profits will benefit Keweenaw Krayons.

The evening will also feature Halloween-oriented activities and games for kids.

To obtain more information or to donate pumpkins, call Keweenaw Krayons at 337-4706 or email staff@keweenawkrayons.com.

Visit the Keweenaw Krayons Web site to learn more about their activities.

To obtain more information or to donate pumpkins, call Keweenaw Krayons at 337-4706 or email staff@keweenawkrayons.com.

Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District to hold annual meeting Oct. 30

HOUGHTON -- The 57th Annual Meeting of the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at the UPPCO Building in Houghton. A highlight of the evening will be a tribute to the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation for their donation of 45 acres of land known as the Seneca #3 Mine Bat Enclosure in Mohawk.

A pizza buffet at 5:30 p.m. will be followed by a presentation of this year's accomplishments, goals for next year and a silent auction. An RSVP to the office at 482-0214 would be appreciated if you intend to participate in the buffet.

Reception for "Miners' Ascent," art by Phyllis Fredendall, at MTU's Library Oct. 30

HOUGHTON -- The Friends of the Van Pelt Library invite the community to a reception celebrating the commission and acquisition of a new art piece, "Miners' Ascent," installed in Michigan Tech's J. Robert Van Pelt and Opie Library.

The reception and a discussion by the artist, Phyllis Fredendall, associate professor of fiber and fashion design at Finlandia University, will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in the Opie Reading Room of the library. President Glenn Mroz will represent Michigan Tech, and Provost Jeanne Rellahan will represent Finlandia University. Refreshments will be served.

"Miners' Ascent," which measures 11 feet long, is on display in the Opie Reading Room.

Viewpoint: John Pekkala, Democratic candidate for Houghton County Drain Commissioner

Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now invited John Pekkala, Democratic candidate for Houghton County Drain Commissioner, to explain to our readers what the duties of the Drain Commissioner are and why they should vote for him to remain as Houghton County Drain Commissioner, a position he has held since May 1, 2008.

By John Pekkala

John Pekkala, Houghton County Drain Commissioner, shares community festivities at the Chassell Strawberry Festival Parade in July 2008. (Photo courtesy Anton Pintar)

HOUGHTON -- The Houghton County Drain Commissioner is the administrator for the Drain Code of 1956, as amended (Act No. 40 of the Public Acts of 1956, as amended) and the County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Program (Part 91, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 1994 PA 451, as amended). I have over 17 years of experience administering the Drain Code and the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Act. I acquired this experience by working for the Genesee County Drain Commissioner and performing the duties as Houghton County Drain Commissioner.

The Houghton County Drain Commissioner issues Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Permits and approves final plats for adequate storm water facilities. This process involves review of SESC site plans and proposed developments under the Land Division Act (Act 288 of 1967, as amended). A thorough review is imperative in order to assure that adequate protection is provided to our lakes, rivers and land resources.

I've helped hundreds of County residents and government officials begin the process of establishing a County Drain. I was directly involved with the process that begins with the application for a drainage district until the final completion of the County Drain. I became certified to administer the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Act in 1991. After many years inspecting construction sites, I've been able to determine what soil erosion controls work best on a particular site. Sharing this knowledge with the project and construction managers ultimately avoids potential problems and unnecessary expense.

The experience that I have is unique and came from representing the Drain Commissioner and actually being the Drain Commissioner. Houghton County deserves this type of experience so that the office of the Houghton County Drain Commissioner is functioning as efficiently as possible. I maintain regular office hours as required by the Drain Code, and I'm available year-round to answer your questions.

My office is located on the first floor of the Houghton County Courthouse, 401 E. Houghton Ave., Houghton, MI 49931. Office Phone: 906-482-4491; Fax 906-482-7238; E-mail jpekkala@houghtoncounty.net. Visit the Houghton County Web site at http://www.houghtoncounty.net/.

Viewpoint: John Slivon, Hancock City Council candidate

HANCOCK -- My name is John Slivon and I am running as a write-in candidate for the Hancock City Council, Ward III. My reason for running is that the City of Hancock is poised to make some important decisions that will impact its future and I want to be part of that decision-making process to insure a positive outcome for the city in both the short term and the long term. I feel that the city has been pressured to satisfy some short-term needs but in the process of fulfilling these needs has lost sight of its long-term future.

John Slivon, write-in candidate for Ward III, Hancock City Council, addresses members of the City Council during the public comment period of a recent meeting in the Hancock City Hall Council Chambers. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Of major concern to me is the transfer of public recreation land from the public sector to the private sector, the Hancock waterfront being the prime example. Another major example is the unresolved issue with Government Lot 5, which also includes the land around the mouth of Swedetown Creek. This parcel of land was given to the City of Hancock by the State of Michigan in 1941, with a requirement that it be used for park and recreational purposes only; and, if the city could not honor that requirement, the land would revert back to the State of Michigan, which, incidentally, never happened. The City of Hancock continued to maintain possession of this land with the implication that it did honor the requirement to use the land for park and recreational purposes only.

This was the state of affairs when the City Charter was adopted in 1988. By the provisions of the City Charter, sale of park property, if and when it is deemed desirable, is governed by the citizens of Hancock by a majority vote rather than by any action by the City Council. I believe that the City Council needs to acknowledge the City Charter and the intent of the original deed and get beyond this issue by acknowledging the land as a city park. Had it not been for the diligence of a concerned group of citizens, doing work that some city officials did not do, the land adjoining the lower part of Swedetown Creek might now be in private ownership. The transfer of public lands such as these to the private sector only serves to make Hancock a less, not more, desirable place to live. I want Hancock to be a more desirable place to live. I want to stop the unwarranted transfer of park and recreation land to the private sector simply to satisfy a short-term need.

Now is the time to begin thinking about the city's future in a new way, a way that focuses on making the city more attractive by making it more livable for all its residents. This will help to protect our investments in our properties. The citizens can make Hancock be the city they want. However, to accomplish this the citizens must be willing to share their ideas in an open forum. They also need to have a City Council that is willing to listen to their ideas and that wants to engage in meaningful dialog with the residents in their wards. If elected to represent Ward III, I will try to be that kind of city councilor. Please write me in when you vote on November 4th. Together we can make Hancock a more desirable place to live, now and into the future.

Remember to print my name, JOHN SLIVON, and don't forget to darken the oval by my name.

Please contact me at 482-5413 if you wish more information.

Speaker to discuss human rights in Guatemala Oct. 27

HANCOCK -- Alejandro Che Paau's home is slated to be under water by 2013.

Paau was born in this Maya-Q'eqchi jungle village of 300 people perched above the verdant banks of the Chixoy and Copón rivers in northern Guatemala. Fields of cardamom and corn surround several dozen palm-thatched homes, which are accessible only by boat or foot.

Alejandro Che Paau and his fields of cardamom and corn are threatened by the proposed Xalalá Dam in Guatemala. (Photo courtesy Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project)

But the junction of these two jade-colored rivers, a 20-minute descent from Paau's home, is also the proposed site for the nation's second-largest hydroelectric project -- the Xalalá Dam. His village is one of 18 communities that would become a 3-square-mile reservoir.

Alejandro looks out over the rivers that are the site of the proposed Xalalá Dam, Guatemala's second-largest hydroelectric project. If allowed to be built, the project would inundate 18 villages, including his. (Photo courtesy Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project)

Hilly McGahan served for a year as an accompanier sponsored by the Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP).

She lived with Mayan people like Alejandro, people who are resisting the destruction of their homelands by corporate interests. Hilly wrote those words above for an article which appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on June 8, 2008. You can find a link to the article and a letter Hilly wrote from Guatemala last summer by visiting the CCGAP Web site.

Hilly McGahan and Sue Ellen Kingsley, CCGAP executive director, in San Lucas Sacatapequez, Guatemala, July 2007. (Photo courtesy CCGAP.)

Hilly McGahan will be visiting the Copper Country to share her experiences with groups and classes October 25 - 29. She will be giving a public presentation at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, following a potluck at 6 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Hancock (beside City Hall). If you would like her to speak to your group, please call 482-6827 or 483-0260.

MTU to host Native American Forum, "Spirit of Harvest" Powwow Oct. 24-25

Women dancers display colorful regalia at the 2007 Spirit of the Harvest Powwow in MTU's Gates Tennis Center. This year's powwow will take place here on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008. (Photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)

HOUGHTON -- The 13th Annual Native American Speakers' Forum will be held in the Memorial Union Ballroom on Friday, Oct. 24.

The forum is part of two days of Native American events, hosted by Michigan Technological University and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, which culminate in the Spirit of the Harvest Powwow on Saturday.

"The forum and powwow are an opportunity for community members to learn about the Native American cultures in the region through a relaxed, fun event," said Lori Muhlig, Native American outreach coordinator at Michigan Tech.

All events for the weekend are free and open to the public.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, the forum will include speakers and opening and closing ceremonies, presented by the Four Thunders Drum Group of Baraga and Lac Vieux Desert.

Featured presenters will be Lemyra DeBruyn on "How the Eagle Books Got Their Wings"; Sam English on "Healing Through Arts"; and two motivational speakers, Iris PrettyPaint and Lowery Begay. Begay will also perform a traditional hoop dance. There will be an hour break for lunch at noon.

Lowery Begay performs a traditional hoop dance during the 2007 Native American Speakers' Forum in the Rozsa Center at Michigan Tech. He will perform again at this year's Speaker's Forum and Powwow on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24-25, 2008. (Photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)*

The 13th Annual Spirit of the Harvest Powwow, also hosted by Michigan Tech and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, will be held at the Gates Tennis Center on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The Grand Entry, in which a full color guard will lead dancers and participants in full native dress, will take place at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Presentations will include a variety of native dance, music and exhibitions. Sam English will present a "Healing Through the Arts" workshop from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The renowned hoop dance and flute exhibition, featuring Lowery Begay, will take place at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Punkin Shananaquet will present the Pink Shawl Project, aimed at breast cancer awareness, at 4:30 p.m. Shananaquet is a member of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe tribes.

Veterans join youth dancers during the 2007 Spirit of the Harvest Powwow at the MTU Gates Tennis Center. (Photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)

Members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community will serve as the color guard, with Donald Chosa as the head veteran dancer. Other dancers will include the head male dancer, Roger LaBine, an Ojibwe tribal member of Lac Vieux Desert. Youth head dancers will be Keweenaw Bay Indian Community representatives Ethan Smith and Tashina Emery-Kauppila, who is also the 2008 Miss Keweenaw Bay Indian Princess.

Students from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society pause for a photo during their work providing refreshments -- including delicious traditional Native American fry bread -- at the 2007 Spirit of the Harvest Powwow. (Photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)

Drummers for the powwow include the Four Thunders Drum Group from Baraga and Lac Vieux Desert, as well as the Loon Travelers. Stone Boy will be the host drum.

There will be a break from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for dinner.

*Editor's Note: See more photos and videos from the 2007 Native American Speakers' Forum at MTU in our Oct. 26, 2007 article, "Native American dancers, musicians perform for U.P. youth in Rozsa.

Rozsa Center to host film, lecture on Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Study Oct. 26 (updated*)

HOUGHTON -- Fortunate Wilderness: the Wolf and Moose Study of Isle Royale, a film by George Desort, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, in the Rozsa Center on the Michigan Tech campus.

John Vucetich, wolf biologist, walks on the ice at Washington Harbor, Isle Royale. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © 2008 George Desort. Reprinted with permission.)

This is the mainland premier of a beautiful and vivid documentary film that was first shown this past summer on Isle Royale during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Wolf-Moose Study.

Anchored in the northwest depths of Lake Superior, Isle Royale is one of America’s last remaining wild places. Fifty-six miles of inhospitable waters isolate the island from the Michigan mainland. Explore this wilderness island with wolf biologists Rolf Peterson and John Vucetich, as they attempt to make sense of the delicate balance between wolf, moose and climate.

Preceding the film, Vucetich will present a lecture on the wolf-moose relationship on Isle Royale. Questions and Answers with Vucetich and filmmaker Desort will follow.

The event, free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Van Evera Distinguished Lecture Series Endowment.

*Update: The Duluth premiere of Fortunate Wilderness will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, in the Marshall Performing Arts Center at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

The Bay Area Film Society will have a screening of Fortunate Wilderness at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008, at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor's Center near Ashland, Wis.

Visit the Web site for the film for more information.

FOLK meeting to feature talks on mineral rights, U.P. mining Oct. 23

BARAGA -- "Know Your Mineral Rights" and "Metallic Sulfide and Uranium Mining across the UP" will be the subjects of two presentations sponsored by Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK) at 7 p. m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Senior Center in Baraga.

Scott Bouma and Theresa Bertossi of Save the Wild UP, a Marquette group opposed to the proposed Kennecott sulfide mine, will give the presentations, following FOLK's General Membership Meeting. The event is free and open to the public.

Directions to the KBIC Senior Center: Going south from Houghton on U.S. 41, turn right onto M-38 in Baraga. After about a half block, turn right (north) onto Main Street. Go about a half mile. The Senior Center is on the left at the big BINGO sign. Call Dave Rulison at 334-2553 if you have questions.

For information about sulfide mining and Save the Wild UP visit their Web site.

Photography exhibit by Christine Flavin at Finlandia Gallery Oct. 20 - Nov. 13

"Champion Engine House" by Christine Flavin. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

HANCOCK -- An exhibit by Christing Flavin titled, "Vanishing Horizons: An Interpretation of the Abandoned Mining Sites of the Upper Peninsula," is featured at the Finlandia University Gallery from Oct. 20 through Nov. 13.

An opening reception for the artist will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock. An artist talk will begin at 7:15 p.m.

Flavin took the exhibit photos with hand-built, zone plate and panoramic pinhole cameras –- cameras without optical lenses. For the past two years she has been photographing the abandoned iron and copper mining sites of the Upper Peninsula, along with the stamp mills and the barren ground they left behind.

Christine Flavin photographing at the Freda Stamp Mill ruins. (Photo © 2008 John Morser)

"The deserted structures float in a frame of black," explains Flavin, "engaging the viewer in the sensation of peeking through an aperture of time at relics from an ancient civilization."

The exhibit also features large color murals created with a panoramic pinhole camera.

"Like old WPA murals on the walls of banks, libraries, and other public spaces," says Flavin, "these images are a testimony to the labor that was done; but now the work-spaces are hauntingly empty of human presence."

"Calumet-Hecla Trestle" by Christine Flavin. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

Flavin will work with Finlandia art and design students Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 22 - 23.

The Finnish American Heritage Center is at 435 Quincy Street, Hancock. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday 8:a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

See also the Finlandia Web site for more details on the exhibit.

La importancia de la polinización

By Gustavo Bourdieu

Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a series of "Comentarios y fotos" by Gustavo Bourdieu, Keweenaw Now photographer, for our readers who speak, read or study Spanish. In this comentario, Gustavo, who is a beekeeper, describes the importance of pollination, especially by bees.

Bees pollinate a zucchini flower. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Como es sabido, las flores necesitan ser polinizadas para la producción de frutos. Unas variedades de flores son autopolinizadas; otras son beneficiadas por polinizadores; y para la mayoría las visitas de polinizadores son indispensables. Por eso, en nuestras huertas es importante tener polinizadores como pájaros, murciélagos y insectos.

Los insectos son los más trabajadores -- y en especial la abeja, por su constancia en la visita de las flores de una determinada variedad. Una cucharada de miel es el trabajo y esfuerzo de más o menos 100 abejas que a su vez han visitado a miles de flores. No solo nos favorece con ese tan delicado y natural producto sino que además multiplica nuestros frutos y semillas. La abeja hace un trabajo que para nosotros sería imposible realizar. Por eso es importante contribuir a preservar nuestro medio ambiente. Los polinizadores son un eslabón débil en la cadena ecológica. No todos los insectos son malos. Son muchísimos más los que nos benefician con su trabajo.

Hasta la próxima y hay que cuidar la naturaleza para los que vienen después.

Gustavo Bourdieu

MTEC SmartZone receives funds for former UPPCO building renovation (updated*)

By Michele Bourdieu

HOUGHTON -- The former UPPCO (Upper Peninsula Power Co.) Building in Houghton will have a "green" makeover and provide long-term space for the Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) SmartZone thanks to a $3.02 million U. S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) business incubator grant. In addition, a federal grant of $500,000 awarded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will help establish a new technology development center in this building.

At a ceremony in the former UPPCO Building on Friday, Oct. 17, Robert Sawyer, left, regional director of the Chicago office of the U. S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), presents a giant "check" for $3,020,000 to Carlton Crothers, CEO of the MTEC SmartZone, second from left, and MTU President Glenn Mroz, third from left. At right are U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) and Amy Berglund, aide for U. S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Detroit). (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

MTEC, a private, nonprofit corporation, manages the SmartZone, which is an economic development and high-tech business incubator serving Houghton and Hancock. The University and MTEC were co-applicants for the federal grant.

Robert Sawyer, EDA regional director of the Chicago office, presented the $3.02 million check to Carlton Crothers of the MTEC SmartZone and Glenn Mroz, Michigan Tech University president, at a ceremony held on Oct. 17 in the former UPPCO Building in Houghton.

Addressing the audience at the ceremony, Mroz thanked the various partners who worked to obtain this award, including U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Detroit) (represented at the ceremony by his aide Amy Berglund), U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee), State Representative Mike Lahti and State Senator Mike Prusi, Houghton and Hancock city officials and Kim Stoker of the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WPPDR).

"This is about growth, and it's about the faith that a lot of people have in this community in order to make it grow," Mroz said. "This is where people are going to want to live, because we've got the quality of life."

In addition, Kathy Cole of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) presented the $500,000 check from the State of Michigan to the City of Houghton, noting the new technology development center slated for the renovated UPPCO Building would provide 50 new jobs.

Kathy Cole, representing the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), addresses the audience at the Oct. 17 ceremony in the former UPPCO Building in Houghton and commends Michigan Tech, the MTEC SmartZone, the city of Houghton and State legislators Mike Prusi and Mike Lahti for their cooperation in securing the grant for economic and community development. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Houghton Mayor Eric Peterson accepted the check signed by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm.

"We're all successful because of teamwork," Peterson said.

State Representative Mike Lahti (D-Hancock) noted the MTEC SmartZone is an example of what cooperation -- rather than competition -- can do in utilizing student talent to create jobs in Michigan. (See video below.)

State Representative Mike Lahti addresses the audience during the Oct. 17 event celebrating the funding received by the MTEC SmartZone and Michigan Tech for the renovation of the former UPPCO building and the creation of a technology development center. (Video © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Representing U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Detroit) his aide Amy Berglund said Levin is a senior member of the Small Business Entrepreneurial Committee and is proud to have supported the SmartZone.

"The Senator has always been a very strong advocate for Michigan's small business interests and realizes the significant role that they play in our economy," Berglund said.

U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee), another supporter of the MTEC SmartZone, spoke about the 700 high-tech jobs that it has created since 2003 and $60 million going into the Houghton-Hancock economy yearly. He added the expectation is that these new grants will bring nearly 355 more jobs to the community.

U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) speaks at the celebration of the new funding for the MTEC SmartZone in the former UPPCO Building on Oct. 17. * Update: this video clip added on Oct. 22. (Video © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

"I'm so proud of what you're doing here," Stupak said. "I hope this is the second of many more checks to come as we continue to grow the entrepreneurial spirit here in the Keweenaw Peninsula."

U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) and State Representative Mike Lahti (D-Hancock), both of whom were instrumental in securing the new funding for the MTEC SmartZone, pause for a photo in the lobby of the former UPPCO Building just before the Oct. 17 ceremony. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Carlton Crothers, chief executive officer of the MTEC SmartZone, concluded with thanks to all the partners involved in making the grants possible.

"It's not just about the SmartZone," Crothers said. "It's about people -- people in this community coming together -- working as one."

Phil Musser, chairman of the MTEC SmartZone Board and executive director of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), has been involved with the SmartZone and local economic development for several years.

"At the point that we thought to form a SmartZone, this community had already gone from dependence on mining and timber to having a much more diversified economy with the start-up of many small businesses across a number of economic sectors," Musser said.

After the Oct. 17 ceremony in the UPPCO Building, Phil Musser, left, chairman of the MTEC SmartZone Board and executive director of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), chats with Lisa McKenzie, Hancock City Council member and small business owner, and Don Keith, Keweenaw County Board chairman. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

KEDA's strategy, he explained, has been to grow local companies -- a strategy that now goes under the name "economic gardening." The idea behind it is to encourage businesses that start in the community and stay, rather than importing companies from outside that may leave at some point.

"So by the time we started the SmartZone we already had a strong economic base of manufacturing and service companies and a number of emerging technology businesses (in this community)," Musser added. "In fact, it was the presence of those emerging technology companies around the year 2000 that told us we had an opportunity to create a technology sector and further diversify Keweenaw's economic base."

When the SmartZone began, he noted, it capitalized on the existing economic base and the fact that KEDA already had a high level of partnership through its 200 members. These included businesses, school systems, banks, utilities and municipalities.

"The SmartZone," Musser said, "with its business assistance directed at technology entrepreneurs and businesses, and through its development of small business incubators, has really accelerated the growth of the technology sector in the Keweenaw."

Musser noted also that the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) uses the Keweenaw as an example of how a community can successfully develop its economy.

"The Keweenaw is an important example," Musser said, "because of the economic distress many Michigan communities are now experiencing."

Editor's Note: To learn more about the MTEC SmartZone and KEDA visit their Web site.

Hancock City Hall renovations near completion with handicap accessibility

HANCOCK -- Hancock City Hall will soon have two handicap-accessible parking spaces, large enough for vans, as well as a wheel-chair ramp at the front entrance. Construction of this final stage of the City Hall renovation project, begun this summer, has required changing the grade in front of the building for wheel-chair accessibility.

On Oct. 16 workers from J. Clark Construction work on the new handicap-accessible parking spaces in front of Hancock City Hall. A change of grade in the sidewalk will allow wheel-chair accessibility to the front entrance. The project is the last stage of the City Hall renovation project made possible through a Rural Development grant from the U. S. Department of Agriculture. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Hancock City Clerk Karen Haischer said the handicap accessibility part of the project will also include installing an automatic door opening on the main entrance door.

"They'll hopefully have it done for the election," Haischer noted.

A sign in front of Hancock City Hall indicates funding for the renovations on the building comes from a Rural Development grant through the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu)

The renovations have included work on the clock tower, the roof and exterior painting -- now complete. This month inside work -- including mechanical, electrical and carpet improvements -- is being done. New lighting in the Council Chambers, a new boiler system and a canopy over the front entrance for safety from ice are some of the improvements included in the project.

Exterior work in particular, including the tower, has been done to conform to the historic aspects of the building.

Hitch Engineering is the architect and engineer for the project; J. Clark Construction, Inc., is the contractor.

Community Arts Center to present OCTOBERFEST dance Oct. 18

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center again presents OCTOBERFEST -- an evening of music, hearty food, drinks, a silent art auction, 50/50 raffles and tons of dancing! The event begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the South Range Community Hall.

Dancing will be from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with music by the Polka Drifters from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., followed by the PasiCats from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Brats, hotdogs and vegetarian chili will be available; and the Keweenaw Brewing Company will provide beer.

Bring family, friends and neighbors and support the Arts Center at this fundraising party! Admission is only $5.

Call the Arts Center at 482-2333 for more details.

Bienvenido el otoño

October color in the Keweenaw Peninsula. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu.)

Editor's Note:This is the third in a series of "Comentarios y fotos" by Gustavo Bourdieu, Keweenaw Now photographer, for our readers who speak, read or study Spanish. In this comentario, Gustavo celebrates our change of seasons in a northern climate.

By Gustavo Bourdieu

HANCOCK -- El cambio de las estaciones en Hancock, nos hace sentir en mayor contacto con la vida , con la naturaleza. Los ciclos del año nos van marcando todo el esplendor de lo que nos rodea.

En el transcurso de mi vida he vivido en diferentes latitudes, a diferentes alturas sobre el nivel del mar. Pero las estaciones aquí en el norte del país son marcadas y bien definidas. Cuando viví en Perú -- en el Río Amazonas, a solo cuatro grados de la línea ecuatorial -- las diferencias eran de lluvia o menos lluvia. La temperatura rara vez baja mas de 70 F. Todo eso hace un tiempo un poco mas monótono. Por ejemplo la variedad de maíz dulce allá produce frutos en solo 60 días mientras que aquí la misma variedad necesita 98 dias.

Como decia mi amigo peruano, "¡Viva las diferencias!" Cada región tiene sus encantos.

Buen fin de semana a todos y en especial los que no trabajarán el lunes.

Hasta la próxima,

G. B.

EPA to hold open house on Kennecott mine proposal Oct. 22

MARQUETTE -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold an open house on Wednesday, October 22, to answer questions about the federal role in regulating the proposed mine and the underground injection control permit application submitted by Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company. The open house will be held at the Holiday Inn, 1951 U.S. Highway 41, West Marquette, Mich. There will be three sessions -- from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Kennecott proposes to dispose of treated wastewater as part of a nickel and copper sulfide mining operation within the Yellow Dog Plains of northwestern Marquette County. EPA notified the company that any underground disposal system at the mining site must comply with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act's federal Underground Injection Control (UIC) program before construction and operation. The Safe Drinking Water Act is intended to protect underground sources of drinking water.

The UIC permitting process for the underground disposal system is EPA's only direct regulatory role in the Eagle mine project. EPA is conducting a technical evaluation of the permit application and supporting documents and expects to issue a draft decision before the end of the year. EPA will accept public comments and hold a public hearing when the draft decision is announced.

A copy of the permit application and more information about the Eagle mine project and the underground injection control program is available at: http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/uic/kennecott/index.htm.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife requests EPA delay on Kennecott mine

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has requested the EPA to determine whether habitat for the endangered Kirtland warbler and threatened Canada lynx occurs in areas that could directly or indirectly be affected by Kennecott's Eagle Project.

According to the USFWS, "Kirtland's warblers utilize young, dense stands of jack pine that are interspersed with treeless openings," and requested the EPA to conduct a survey of male Kirtland's warblers, in late Spring, 2009, if potential habitat is located in the area.

Although key indicators suggest the area as suitable habitat for both species and were acknowledged in Kennecott's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the company did not consider the project as potentially affecting Kirtland warbler or Canadian lynx habitat. According to the DEQ, Kennecott conducted only 7 months of the legally-required 2-year flora and fauna study. . . Read more on SaveTheWildUP.

Editor's Note: This information is courtesy SaveTheWildUP.

Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter receives grant

HANCOCK -- The Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home for Abused Women has been chosen to receive one of 150 grants awarded by a leading national anti-domestic violence organization, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (MKACF). The $20,000 grant will be used to maintain the crisis line and direct services to program participants.

Supporters of the Shelter and recipients of its services recently called attention to the work of the Shelter in helping survivors of domestic violence with a Candlelight Ceremony in Hancock on Oct. 6.

Supporters of the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter hold a candlelight march in Hancock Oct. 6 after their ceremony honoring survivors of domestic violence. The event also included speakers, poetry and music. Carrying the Shelter Home banner are Anne Haywood, left, of Hancock, and Ann Brady, Shelter Home Board member. Left of Brady, with other marchers, is Emily Newhouse, Shelter Home executive director. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

Shelters are feeling the impact of a weak economy. According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, shelter donations are down; but the need for services is increasing. To help make sure needs are met, the foundation started by the late Mary Kay Ash is donating a total of $3 million in grants to shelters in all 50 states.

"This grant gives us much-needed cash and hope at Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter," said Emily Newhouse, executive director. "The problem of domestic violence isn’t going away and neither is the need for funding. Programs to help those experiencing domestic violence require a lot of resources. It is a tremendous challenge to provide services on a 24 hour basis. Grants specifically for everyday operating expenses are rare, and this funding demonstrates the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation understands this need for funding of day-to-day operations. We’re grateful that the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation is stepping up to the plate in helping us help families in Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties."

Hand-decorated tee-shirts are displayed on a clothesline in the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock during the Oct. 6 Candlelight Ceremony honoring survivors of domestic violence. The shirts are part of the Clothesline Project -- a program started in 1990 on Cape Cod, Mass., as a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women. (Photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), domestic violence affects one in every four women in the United States. Nationally:
· The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, 4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services;
· Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when they become adults;
· 84 percent of spousal abuse victims are female.

The statistics in Michigan are just as startling. According to the NCADV:
· 48,310 domestic violence offenses were reported to the Michigan Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Program in 2003.
· About 4 of every 10 females seen in selected emergency departments for injuries related to assault were there because of intimate partner violence.
· It is estimated that there were 22,328 domestic violence cases handled in Michigan’s prosecuting attorney offices in 2000.

Rhythm 203 performs folk songs during the Oct. 6 Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home Candlelight Ceremony for survivors fo domestic violence. Musicians and singers are, from left, Sue Ellen Kingsley, Phyllis Fredendall and Norm Kendall. (Video © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

"The Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter has helped so many women and their families in Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon Counties. We know they will use these funds to benefit even more domestic violence survivors and their children," said Jennifer Cook, MKACF board member. "Mary Kay Ash wanted her foundation to help enrich women’s lives. All the tragic stories and statistics we hear about domestic violence encourage us to do our part. We know Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter will use these funds to stop domestic violence and provide help and hope to domestic violence survivors and their children in Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties in Michigan."

About the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation

The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation was created in 1996, and its mission is two-fold: to fund research of cancers affecting women and help prevent domestic violence while raising awareness of the issue. Since the Foundation’s inception, it has awarded nearly $18 million to shelters and programs addressing domestic violence and $10.8 million to cancer researchers and
related causes throughout the United States. To learn more about the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, log on to www.mkacf.org or call 1-877-MKCARES (652-2737).

Editor's Note: Programs at the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home are supported by the Copper Country United Way. Donations may also be sent to Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home for Abused Women, P. O. Box 8, Calumet, MI 49913.

Finlandia's Nordic Film Series begins Oct. 9

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center begins its fall Nordic Film Series today, October 9, with five new documentaries from noted filmmaker and frequent area visitor Erkki Määttänen. Showings are at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The featured short films are about Finnish and Finnish-American musicians and artists, with the exception of Todistajat (Witnesses), a documentary about a group of Finns whose parents (some of whom had returned to Karelia, Finland, from North America) disappeared in the Soviet Union during the Stalinist purges of the 1930s.

Other films to be shown October 9 include, Suomalaisia kaikuja or Finnish Echoes in the Midwest about a number familiar Finnish American musicians and the places they perform in Michigan and Minnesota; Jim Johnson about the Finnish-American poet from Duluth; and Peruna-Jussin rytmiluut or Johnnie Perona’s Rhythm Bones about the 85-year-old rhythm bones musician of Calumet.

Other films are Gerry about Duluth kantele maker Gerry Henkel and Les Ross, Suupelin soittaja (Les Ross, Mouth Organ Player) about a Negaunee musician who plays harmonica in traditional Finnish-American lumberjack style.

Finally, Lännen-Jukka etsimässä or Looking for Lännen-Jukka explores the music of J. Karjalainen, one of Finland’s most popular singer-songwriters and a well-known devotee of American bluegrass.

Last year Karjalainen released the CD, Lännen Jukka, Amerikansuomalaisia lauluja (Jukka of the West, Finnish-American songs), a collection of American blues songs with Finnish lyrics and a tribute to his musical mentor, Hiski Salomaa, an early Finnish American songwriter who at one time lived in South Range. The album was widely considered one of the best Finnish recordings of 2006.

The films include a number of western Upper Peninsula faces and places, including Jingo Wiitala-Vachon, and the Happala Brothers (George and Albert) from Bruce Crossing, Runeberg Hall in Dollar Bay , The Mosquito Inn and Toivola Lunch of Toivola, and the Co-op Hall in Bruce Crossing.

Film director Erkki Määttänen has been making documentaries for the Finnish Broadcasting company for 30 years. He has made 80 short and feature-length documentaries all over the world. Määttänen’s films have been shown at film festivals in USA, Canada, Europe and Russia. He has filmed a number of documentaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

The Nordic Film Series occurs on the second Thursday of each month. The films, which show at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., offer the area’s only opportunity to see contemporary Finnish, Sami and Norwegian films. November’s movie is the Finnish film, Colorado Avenue.

For additional information, please contact the Finnish American Heritage Center at 906-487-7505.

Obama fires back in Indianapolis: "I ask you to believe ..."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Following his Oct. 7 presidential candidate debate with Republican Senator John McCain in Nashville, Tenn., Democratic Senator Barack Obama fired up a crowd estimated at 21,000 on Wednesday, Oct. 8, in a rally at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

Videos on the Indianapolis Star Web site, IndyStar.com, capture some key moments of his high-energy speech and reactions of the enthusiastic crowd. Click here to see the Star's videos and today's article, "Obama: 'Better days ahead,'" by Mary Beth Schneider, Star reporter.

Los comentarios de Gustavo: El "Tori" de Hancock

Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of "Comentarios y fotos" by Gustavo Bourdieu, Keweenaw Now photographer, for our readers who speak, read or study Spanish. In this week's comentario, Gustavo celebrates Hancock's "Tori," the Finnish word for "market" or, in Spanish, "mercado."

Queridos amigos y amigas,

Como apicultor, tengo una pequeña huerta en el campo para el abastecimiento de verduras frescas durante el verano, y puedo guardar algo para el invierno que está cerca.

Siempre hay un excedente y aprovecho en venderlo en el Tori Market de Hancock. Esta es una gran idea de tener nuestro pequeño mercado, donde se reunen agricultores y artesanos locales para vender sus productos todos los miércoles y sábados.

Lamentablemente, debido al clima, ayer fue la última apertura de la temporada.

Siempre que he viajado en distintas ciudades, aprovecho de visitar los mercados. Estos reflejan la realidad de los pueblos y países. Visitar el mercado es conocer en profundidad cada pueblo.

Los vendedores / compañeros del "Tori" de Hancock se reunen para esta foto el sábado 4 de octubre, el último día de la temporada. (Photo © 2008 Gustavo Bourdieu. Click on photo for larger version.)

El ambiente que se vive en él es de gran camaradería y amistad, donde toda la gente se saluda y sonríe, donde van los clientes a comprar verduras frescas -- la mayoría orgánica -- y artesanías locales de una belleza increíble.

Recomiendo a todos los lectores de nuestra comunidad visitar el Tori market; así consumirán productos locales y frescos. Ahora tendremos que esperar al próximo año.

Les adjunto una foto de ayer de los vendedores y colegas míos en el Tori.

Hasta la próxima,
Gustavo Bourdieu