Two Michigan Tech Students win Gilman Scholarships for study abroad

By Jennifer Donovan

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech students Kara Oikarinen of Calumet and Nicole VanBelle of Kentwood, Mich., have been named winners of prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for study abroad. They were among 900 undergraduates selected for the competitive scholarships from more than 3,000 applicants nationwide.

Oikarinen, a senior majoring in social sciences and education, received $5,000 for study this semester at the University of Ghana at Legon. She plans to bring Ghana back into the classrooms where she will teach, improving young students' knowledge of little-known parts of the world.

Michigan Tech scholarship winner Kara Oikarinen, daughter of Rick and Lorri Oikarinen of Calumet, holds a baby in Ghana. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University)

"As a teacher, I will be learning about a part of the world that is typically neglected in history and geography classes," she explained. "I will use as many materials from my experience in West Africa as possible to create the most potentially stimulating lessons."

Oikarinen is from Calumet, Mich., where she graduated from Calumet High School in 2006. She is the daughter of Rick and Lorri Oikarinen.

VanBelle, a chemical engineering major from Kentwood, Mich., is one of the first Gilman STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Pilot Scholarship recipients. She is one of 125 students across the country who received the Gilman STEM scholarship for 2010. She will receive $3,000 to study with the Japan Center for Michigan Universities in Hikone, Japan, during the summer of 2010.

Nicole VanBelle hard at work in the chemical engineering lab. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University)

"Studying abroad is not always advocated for engineers," VanBelle observed. "I hope to show all of my fellow engineers at Michigan Tech that studying abroad can be just as positive as an internship or co-op."

She plans to give presentations about her experiences in Japan to Tech classes and at the Portage Lake District Library.

VanBelle is a graduate of East Kentwood High School in Kentwood, Mich. She is the daughter of Jane and Dave VanBelle.

The Gilman International Scholarship Program provides grants to undergraduates of limited means who are US citizens, to enable them to study abroad. Since the program's inception in 2001, more than 4,200 students have received Gilman Scholarships. The Gilman Scholarships are funded by Congress, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education.

Editor's Note: Guest writer Jennifer Donovan is Director of Public Relations at Michigan Technological University. Article and photos are courtesy Michigan Tech News.

Updated: Bear Chase Ski Races still on for March 13

Start of the 2009 Great Bear Chase at Swedetown Trails. Despite warmer weather, this year's race will still happen, with some changes in the route. See below. (Photo © and courtesy Brockit.com)

CALUMET -- The 30th Annual 2010 Great Bear Chase, sponsored by Portage Health, is on for this Saturday, March 13, at Swedetown Trails in Calumet. Because of the warm weather, all road crossings and the downtown finish have been eliminated.

"We will have the start and finish close to the Swedetown Chalet on the Valley Trail," said Portage Health's Arnie Kinnunen, Bear Chase Race director. "Eliminating some of the potential problems areas has shortened the race course. We will have a 2-lap course, a 22K and a 44K race."

According to the Bear Chase Web site, snow on Swedetown's groomed trails is in great condition and most of the trails have at least a 12" base.

The Junior Bear Chase is at 5 p.m. tonight, Friday, March 12, at Swedetown. The race is for skiers up to 16 years old.

Update: Great Bear Square Dance Saturday, Mar. 13

There will be a Great Bear Square Dance from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 13, the night of the Great Bear Chase Ski Race, at the Keweenaw Heritage Center (former St. Anne's Church) in Calumet. A $5 donation is welcome. A visiting caller from Wisconsin will call the dances to live music by a local band. This event is open to the whole community so all you dancers who have been itching for a square dance, and even those who haven't, bring all your friends and family to Calumet to enjoy a night of dancing!

Pelosi to Maddow: Republicans hijacking Rep. Stupak's abortion concerns to stop health care reform bill

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told MSNBC's political analyst and investigative reporter Rachel Maddow that the Senate health care reform bill does not allow federal funding for abortion, despite claims by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) that it does.

In a video clip from Maddow's March 11 interview, Pelosi said, "There is no federal funding for abortion in the legislation. It is the law of the land that we are prohibited from spending federal funds on abortion, and that is consistent in this bill."

Pelosi added the Senate bill also contains no change in the status of a woman's right to choose.

"This bill is not about abortion," Pelosi told Maddow. "This is about health care for all Americans, and those who want the bill to fail hijack the concerns of others who have concerns about federal funding of abortion."

Expressing her respect for Congressman Stupak, and stating that Stupak "wants health care reform," Pelosi indicated Republicans -- not other Democrats -- in the House are trying to hijack Stupak's concerns in order to make the bill fail.

Click here to see the video clip from the March 11 Rachel Maddow Show.

On Wednesday, March 10, Maddow interviewed filmmaker Michael Moore, a Michigan constituent of Bart Stupak's, on the subject of Stupak's criticism of the Senate bill and discussed Moore's latest documentary film, Capitalism: A Love Story. Click here for a video clip of that interview.

Bipartisan team introduces Patients’ Right to Know Act

WASHINGTON -- Republican and Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced H.R. 4803, the Patients’ Right to Know Act, on March 10, 2010.

Introduced by U.S. Reps. Joe Barton (R-Texas), Gene Green (D-Texas), Michael Burgess( R-Texas) and Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), the Patients’ Right to Know Act is a bipartisan health reform proposal designed to empower consumers with the information they need to make decisions about their health care.

The lawmakers offered a similar amendment during the committee’s September markup of the House health care bill. It passed 51-0.

"Consumers need to make rational, cost-effective choices; but how can anybody do that without actually knowing the real price of their care?" asked Barton, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "Even the most careful and attentive patient can’t be expected to understand that the $100 'mucus recovery system' on a hospital bill is, in fact, $2 worth of Kleenex. Let’s stop that."

Stupak, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, noted the bill will provide patients with access to critical information about the cost of health care services .

"Consumers deserve straightforward answers about what services their health insurance plan and medical providers cover and what their out-of-pocket costs will be, as well as notification when those costs change. This is commonsense, bipartisan legislation and I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing the Patients’ Right to Know Act."

Click here for a copy of the bill.

Judges needed for Western UP Science Fair March 22

HOUGHTON -- The Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education and Michigan Tech’s American Society of Engineering Education and the American Institute of Chemical Engineering are hosting the 12th Annual Western UP Science Fair on Monday, March 22, at the MTU Memorial Union Ballroom.

The event is valuable learning experience for students in grades 4-8. Students submit projects on experiments they conducted using the scientific method. They are judged on the scientific content of their written report, the presentation of their findings on a display board and the verbal communication of what they learned during an interview. Two judges will score each project independently of each other. Each project will receive a composite score from the two judges.

Each year, the number of registered projects is limited to 200 projects. Students may participate as individuals or with a partner. Currently 40 volunteers are available to judge the projects, but approximately 65 volunteers are needed. Please consider serving as a judge for the Western UP Science Fair. The contribution of your valuable time and expertise would be greatly appreciated.

The judges' time commitment for Monday, March 22, 2010, is from 5:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Here is the schedule:

5:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. -- Judges’ meeting and dinner.

6 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Judging of projects. Students will be scheduled for an interview with two judges during one of time periods: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

The science fair will be open to the public from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

If you can serve as a judge, please contact Shawn Oppliger, director, Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, at 906-482-0331 or email shawn@copperisd.org. Please indicate if you have children or students that are participating in the Western UP Science Fair and their grade level. You will be assigned to an appropriate grade level.

Finlandia Elementary Education program completes second accreditation step

HANCOCK -- Finlandia University’s Elementary Education program recently completed the second of three steps leading to full program accreditation by receiving probationary approval from the Michigan State Board of Education.

"This is a major step forward for the program and, most importantly, for our students," said Judith Budd, dean of Finlandia’s Suomi College of Arts and Sciences. "For the last six years, Finlandia faculty members have worked tirelessly to move this program forward toward accreditation."

Laurene Ziegler, who has been chair of the Elementary Education program since fall 2000, called this accreditation a major stepping stone in the history of the program.

Laurene Ziegler, chair of the Finlandia University Elementary Education program. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

"The first two steps in the accreditation process have made our program much stronger," Ziegler said. "Moreover, probationary approval bolsters our image and credibility within the educational community."

Ziegler says probationary approval allows the Elementary Education program to operate independently and to recommend its graduates for Michigan Department of Education certification.

Elementary Education program majors select two minor courses of study -- which include English, math, social studies and science. To date, 63 have graduated from the program, beginning with the Class of 2003. The program boasts a 93% overall passing rate on the Michigan teacher certification test.

Currently, 31 Elementary Education program alumni are employed in the Upper Peninsula as teachers or in related positions, such as AmeriCorps. Fourteen of the graduates are employed as teachers in other states, from downstate Michigan and Minnesota to Arizona, Wyoming and Alaska. Two alumni have gone on to complete master’s degrees in education, and three others are currently pursuing advanced degrees.

Ziegler keeps close track of her graduates; and they, in turn, stay connected with Finlandia. For example, 2008 graduate Ryan Koski began teaching sixth grade in Bullhead, Ariz., in fall 2008. Each year the students in his class create a video dialogue to share with current Finlandia Elementary Education majors, who in turn create a video for the Arizona sixth graders.

"President Johnson has been very supportive of the program, especially in regard to our technology needs," Ziegler explained. "One year after he became Finlandia’s president, we had the technology classroom we needed to move forward in the accreditation process."

Further, Ziegler said the ongoing support of local public schools as student teaching sites is critical to the sustained success of both the Elementary Education program and the program’s graduates. She added that the CCISD (Copper Country Intermediate School District) also invites student teachers to participate in the district’s professional development activities.

Finlandia will be eligible to apply for full state of Michigan accreditation in three years. Upon final approval, Finlandia must pursue and gain national accreditation within five years through one of two national accrediting bodies.

For additional information, please contact Laurene Ziegler at 906-487-7351.

Nordic Film Series to present Finnish film by Kaurismäki March 11

HANCOCK -- The Finnish film Lights in the Dusk is the March selection of the Finlandia University Nordic Film Series. The film will be shown at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the university’s Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock.

Lights in the Dusk (Laitakaupungin valot) is a 2006 film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. It is the final installment in what has been called Kaurismäki’s "Loser Trilogy." The two preceding films are Drifting Clouds and The Man Without a Past. While the trilogy’s first film was about unemployment and the second about homelessness, the theme of Lights in the Dusk is loneliness.

In Lights in the Dusk, night watchman Koiskinen lives an alienated life. Ridiculed and shunned by his workmates, regarded as incompetent by his employers, he lives alone, drinks alone and only manages to talk in any decent way with a woman who sells hot dogs at the fast food stand.

His life changes when a mysterious blond takes a sudden and unexpected interest in him.

The film was presented at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was chosen as Finland’s nominee for the 79th Academy Awards in the category of Best Foreign Language Film. However, Kaurismäki refused the nomination and boycotted the awards as a protest against U.S. foreign policy at the time.

The film is in the Finnish language with English language sub-titles. There is no charge to attend the film, but donations are accepted.

For additional information, call 906-487-7549. The Finnish American Heritage Center is located at 435 Quincy St. , Hancock.

Celebrate International Women's Day March 8

HANCOCK -- Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. Organizations around the world are trying to help women who are victims of violence. Here are some links. Read how you can help:
http://www.womenforwomen.org/bridge/index.php
Click to help Amnesty International's efforts for women. It's free:
http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/violence-against-women/

More locally, you can help support the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home by participating in upcoming events -- a brunch ski at Swedetown Trails on Sunday, March 14, and a music event and silent auction at the MTU Forestry Atrium on Sunday, March 21. Visit their Web site for details:
http://www.bkgshelterhome.org/.

Video: Highlights of African Night

Michigan Tech's Praise in Effect Choir performs "Tambira Jehovah," during African Night, Feb. 28, 2010, in the Rozsa Center. (Videos by Keweenaw Now)

Dancers and musicians of the visiting Hayor Bibimma Dance Company perform during African Night 2010 at the Rozsa Center. Based in the Twin Cities, this West African dance group specializes in traditional West African drumming, dance and storytelling. Their name means "bringing the masses of Mother Africa together."

As a finale to their performance, Hayor Bibimma members invite the audience to join them on stage for an African dance. The dance company aims to increase public participation in traditional African performing arts, enhance cultural awareness and ease public accessibility to the richness of African heritage.

Editor's Note: For photos of African Night -- the Hayor Bibimma dance performance and the fashion show presented by the African Students Organization -- see our slide show in the right column, above. Later it will be available through a link from our list of archived slide shows (right column).

Youth Art to be exhibited at Community Arts Center through Mar. 27

March is Youth Arts Month at the Community Arts Center in Hancock. The reception for this exhibit will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 6. (Image courtesy Community Arts Center)

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center is featuring artwork from area elementary, middle and high school students March 5-27. This is an exhibit not to be missed! The Youth Gallery and the Kerredge Gallery will be filled floor to ceiling with amazing youth art.

Plan to attend the opening reception, which will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 6.

March is a time where our young artists get to shine. It’s a time not only to celebrate youth art, but to appreciate the art teachers who work throughout the school year encouraging and inspiring their students. Their instruction and guidance has a lasting impact on the lives of our youth.

The Copper Country Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock. Call 482-2333 for more information.

Calumet to hold First Friday events March 5

CALUMET -- Calumet's First Friday events this Friday, March 5, include exhibit openings at art galleries as well as music and arts and crafts demonstrations.

An opening reception for "Life on the Keweenaw," an all-media, juried open show, will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. this Friday at the Miskwabik Ed Gray Gallery, 109 Fifth St. For more information call 906-281-3494. The exhibit continues through March 31.

At the Calumet Art Center Duane Stephenson and piano students will perform from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., while artists Eve Lindsey and Lynn Anderson will give a Weaving Demo.

"New Visions of Place" by Kathleen Carlton-Johnson is the March exhibit at the Vertin Gallery, 220 Sixth St. An opening reception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 5. The exhibit continues through March 31.

Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAC) Sharon Abramson and Dolly Louma invite visitors to join them at the CCAC Gallery and Studio for a creative event beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 5. Together with these artists, using hand and eye and your creative mind, discover what you can do with a piece of copper wire and a piece of leather -- maybe a feather, a bead from a reed or an old pebble or two from that jar on the dresser. Or even a note from the fridge door. Not only will you discover what you can do with a copper wire, you can wear it home as well. (A $ or two could help with the glue.)

First Friday CCAA demonstrations are an opportunity to introduce visitors to a variety of arts and fine craft techniques by some of the area’s most talented practitioners.

The CCAA Gallery is located at 112 Fifth Street in Calumet. Winter Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday, Saturday -- 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. First Fridays, the Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information about the CCAA call 906-337-1252 or visit their web site at ccaartists.org.

Michigan Tech faculty members, family and student survive earthquake in Chile

HOUGHTON -- Over a fuzzy phone connection to Santiago, with slight delays, Michigan Tech's Chuck Wallace, a visiting Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad de Católica, relays how scared -- and lucky -- his family was during the Chilean earthquake.

"It was 3 in the morning," he says, "and we were in bed on the fifteenth floor, would you believe? It was shaking like something I’ve never felt before, and I was raised in California."

Wallace, his wife, Susanna Peters (also a Michigan Tech faculty member) and their two children, Sam and Cecilia, were "thrown from wall to wall"; and they braced themselves at those walls during a seemingly endless one and one-half minutes of shaking ...*

Sam Wallace, age 10, writes his first reactions to the earthquake

Sam Wallace, a fifth grader at Houghton Elementary, writes the following in a letter to his class:
"Around 3:30 in the morning there was a HUGE earthquake. It was SO scary even though I didn't even get the least of it. We are on the fifteenth floor in an apartment house, but the building was super sturdy, so after the tremendous shaking which was so huge I'll never go on a fair ride again . . . most of the family is up and my mother is yelling 'WAKE UP CECI IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE!!!' . . . And by the way I have to tell you that this earthquake was going on for about 2 minutes, only getting worse, and 2 minutes is huge for an earthquake. Complete with sound effects of a bunch of breaking glass (which turned out to be most of our plates and cups) ...

And from Cecilia, age 13, after she wakes up:

"CECI WAKE UP… IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE!" I was up in a second. Hmm… this explains the turbulent boat drem. . . No one was really dressed and we were all hanging on to the doorframes just to stay up. I was convinced that our floor was no longer in line with the rest of the building and was just about to fall off the top and we were all going to die. That's a really different feeling than I have ever had before. . . Then I tried to hug Mom because I figured that if I was going to die I was going to do it with someone. Except that she was looking around for -- of all things -- jackets! While we were all about to die. Maybe her last wish was to die with thermal clothing clutched in her hands??? Then we held on for life and then it stopped and we could move again ...**

* Read the rest of Dennis Walikainen's March 1 article about the Wallace family on the Michigan Tech News.

** Read more from Sam and Cecilia Wallace on Tech Today.

Also in Chile on a study-abroad program, Evan Johnson, a Michigan Tech student based in Santiago, was safely on a field trip in the far south of the country. He is studying through the Universidad Andrés Bello in Santiago. He has assured Tech's International Programs and Services office that he is OK.

How you can help

If you would like to contribute to earthquake relief in Chile, click here for the Huffington Post's list of aid agencies.

Glide-N-Gorge along Swedetown Creek March 7

The Maasto Hiihto River Trail (at left) follows the meandering Swedetown Creek for a scenic cross-country ski glide in the gorge. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) presents the second annual Glide-N-Gorge from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 7. Glide in the Swedetown Creek Gorge on the Maasto Hiihto Trails for fine food.

Three tables will be serving homemade fare. The Glide starts and ends at the chalet at the Houghton County Fairgrounds in Hancock. All proceeds go for trail equipment. Tickets are $15 until Friday, March 5, and $25 thereafter. They may be purchased from any KNSC board member, at trail pass outlets, or at the chalet on the day of the Glide.

The well marked course of just 3.5 miles (extra loops available to work up your appetite) will guide you to the first food stop near Tomasi Road. This Hors-d'oeuvre table will feature delights from the Keweenaw Co-op. After this "warm-up," you'll descend along the Swedetown Creek on one of the prettiest trails in the Keweenaw!

Another lovely spot in the gorge offers changing views of the creek as the ice melts.

The next stop will be piping hot chili and soups galore at a scenic spot along the creek. You'll continue down the creek and then "cruise" up Sisu Hill. Once back at the chalet, you can celebrate the circumnavigation of the gorge with live music and delectable desserts. Stay and socialize!

Tom Rudd and Margo McCafferty to exhibit prints at Reflection Gallery March 3-29

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Reflection Gallery will host an exhibit of color reduction relief prints by Tom Rudd and Margo McCafferty, March 3 to 29, 2010.

"Yellow Dog Storm," a color reduction relief print by Tom Rudd and Margo McCafferty. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

An opening reception and artist talk will take place from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 4, at the Reflection Gallery, located on the second level of Finlandia's Jutila Center campus (old hospital), 200 Michigan St., Hancock. The reception is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

Tom Rudd, a sculptor, and Margo McCafferty, a painter, create work informed by their wooded surroundings on the Keweenaw Peninsula, often with reference to environmental issues, and especially the quality of water.

In addition to their individual works, for over a decade the two artists together have created series of color reduction relief prints which depict environments and events in places where they have lived or completed residencies.

Some of the relief prints focus on the Cascade Mountains in western Oregon, others on the Allegheny River Valley in western Pennsylvania, Isle Royale National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore and the Midwest ’s rustbelt. They are presently working on a series that reflects happenings and landscapes of the Keweenaw Peninsula .

The objective of Tom Rudd’s life in the arts is creating visual art that enlightens and stimulates aesthetic sensitivity. Rudd pursues this goal by making art, teaching, administrating, curating and advocating for artists and the visual arts. He has shown and placed his art in public and private venues throughout the world and has received numerous grants and awards.

Before discovering that art was her vocation, Margo McCafferty, a native of the Pacific Northwest, received a degree in political science from Willamette University, Salem, Ore. She began teaching in 1990 after earning an MFA in drawing and painting from Arizona State University. McCafferty’s teaching experience includes teaching English in Japan and instructing painting, drawing, design and printmaking classes for U.S. colleges and universities.

McCafferty’s other endeavors, along with making art full-time, include arts administration on the state level, jurying art exhibits and writing art reviews and criticism. Her drawings, prints and paintings are exhibited and collected internationally.

Rudd and McCafferty will conduct a greeting card printmaking workshop from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, 2010, at the Jutila Center. The workshop is open to the public. The cost is $25 per person, with supplies included. Please e-mail finlandiareflectiongallery@gmail.com to reserve one of only 15 available spaces in the workshop.

For additional information, please contact Yueh-mei Cheng, Finlandia associate professor of studio arts, at 906-487-7375 or email yueh-mei.cheng@finlandia.edu.

African Night to offer dinner, dance performance Sunday, Feb. 28

African Night is tonight!! Click on poster for larger version. (Poster image courtesy Michigan Tech African Students Organization)

HOUGHTON -- "Africa: The Story from Within" will be the theme of Michigan Tech's African Night celebration tonight, Sunday, Feb. 28, with a dinner at 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom, followed at 7 p.m. by a Performance in the Rozsa Center for Performing Arts.

During this event, sponsored by the African Students Organization, students from various African countries provide the audience with an exhilarating display of some of the dance routines from their countries. Food prepared using recipes from certain African countries is also served before the main event.

Apart from food and dancing, other performances such as African dramas, poems and presentations portraying lifestyles and culture unique to the beautiful continent of Africa are also shown. This year's special guest performers are the Hayor Bibimma Dance Company. This event has grown consistently over the years. African Night attracts an audience of over 300 people every year.

Ticket prices, which include both dinner and performance, are as follows: Michigan Tech Students, $10; Faculty/General Public, $15; children under 5, free.

Tickets are available at the Rozsa Center and at the MUB Ballroom (at the door, Sunday before 5 p.m.

Carnegie Children's Science Museum to hold Science Saturday Feb. 27

HOUGHTON -- It's time for another Science Saturday at the Carnegie Children's Science Museum! Children and adults are invited to the museum between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27. This session will include making a short, animated movie!

This month -- in addition to making Tops, Spin Art and Tornadoes -- participants will explore the science of spin and perception by making short movies and experimenting with other perception "toys."

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 482-7140, or email history@cityofhoughton.com.

The Carnegie Museum is located on the corner of Montezuma and Huron in historic downtown Houghton. Admission is free. Parking is available in the rear of the building or across Montezuma in the City lot.

The Science Center will be open during regular Museum hours: Tuesday noon - 7 p.m., Thursday noon - 5 p.m., Saturday noon - 4 p.m. "Science Saturday" is held the fourth Saturday of each month.

Soup, salad, silent auction Feb. 27 to raise funds for Tanzania trip

HANCOCK -- A silent auction and soup and salad lunch fundraiser will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Finlandia Hall café, which is in the Finlandia University residence hall, Summit St., Hancock.

The fundraiser will help four Finlandia students travel to Tanzania May 4 to 24, 2010, for three weeks of service and learning.

On the lunch menu are Tanzanian vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, tomato soup, chili, and green salad. Silent auction items include fabric from Tanzania, books, merchandise and gift certificates from local businesses, hotel passes, two jackets from Rhythm Skate Shop, a hand-crafted wood cutting board, beauty and bath items and more.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $3 for children ages seven to 12 years. Children 6 years and under eat free.

For information, contact René Johnson at 487-7558 or rene.johnson@finlandia.edu.

CopperDog volunteer round-up to be Feb. 27

CALUMET -- Dog lovers are invited to join a volunteer round-up for the First Annual CopperDog 150 Sled Dog challenge! The 150-mile race through the Keweenaw is scheduled for March 12-14. An army of volunteers is needed to make this race happen.

Anyone who can volunteer for this event is invited to meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at River Valley Bank in Calumet. Come out for hot dogs and sled dogs and see an actual 10-dog team hooked up and ready to go. Find out what it takes to be a part of this exciting event up front and center. Whether you want to wrangle dogs or experience the race from a remote outpost, the race organizers need your help and have a spot for you!

To learn more about the CopperDog race, visit their Web site.

Boukman Eksperyans to reschedule performance at Rozsa

HOUGHTON -- The Haitian band Boukman Eksperyans will be unable to play their scheduled performance at the Rozsa Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27.

Boukman Eksperyans band leader Lolo Beaubrun and his wife Mimerose. The band is unable to leave Haiti in time for their scheduled Feb. 26-27 performances at the Rozsa Center. Their visit is being rescheduled. (Photo courtesy Rozsa Center)

Management for the band Boukman Eksperyans informed the Rozsa Center that recent aftershocks have forced the cancellation of all air travel out of Haiti for the next 48 hours.

The Rozsa Center is in the process of rescheduling -- hoping to have the opportunity to welcome Boukman Eksperyans to Michigan Tech in the near future. Tickets purchased for these events will be honored for the new date.

For more information, contact Susanna Brent in the Rozsa Center at 487-2856.

Sen. Levin announces conservation funding for new Bete Grise Wetland area

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., announced yesterday, Feb. 24, a $1,715,000 grant for the Bete Grise Wetlands project. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant to the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) will go to securing more than 1,475 acres of the Bete Grise Wetland area for conservation. This acreage and over half a mile of Lac La Belle sloughs frontage, pending certain final requirements of the grant, will be added to the existing Bete Grise Preserve.

The grant is awarded through the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP), which is administered by NOAA.

"The preservation of these thousands of acres of pristine coastline and wetlands will benefit generations to come," Levin said. "The Bete Grise Wetlands provide a rich habitat for a variety of wildlife to flourish, a unique botanical outdoor classroom experience, and an undisturbed historic landscape for all to treasure."

This map of the Bete Grise Coastal Wetland Complex shows the newly funded 1,475 acres outlined in light purple, south of Lac La Belle. Under these new funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), wetlands and key parts of the Bete Grise watershed are targeted for protection. The dark blue line surrounds the most significant wetland areas as the map illustrates. (Some working forest land and homes are included in the dark blue outline, and these would not be acquired for protection.) Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District)

Levin wrote a letter in February 2009 to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality urging support of the grant application. The funding comes from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Wetlands at Bete Grise. (Photo © and courtesy Gina Nicholas)

Gina Nicholas, chairperson of the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District Board, recently sent an email thanking many groups and individuals for their contributions to the Bete Grise wetland proposal. The list includes President Obama for the Great Lakes Initiative that added extra funding to 2010 CELCP.*

This photograph shows the view of Bete Grise Wetlands from the top of Mt. Houghton looking southwest. Lake Superior is in the upper left and along the horizon. Lac La Belle is the largest body of water in the center. Deer Lake is the smaller lake in the upper right. Montgomery Point on Lac La Belle is just below Deer Lake. Lac La Belle Wetlands stretches east from Deer Lake and Montgomery Point to the Bete Grise Preserve on the Lac La Belle sloughs. (Photo © and courtesy Gina Nicholas)

"Protection of Bete Grise has been a collaboration and partnership since its inception," Nicholas writes. "Bete Grise Wetlands is another great example of how all of us working together can accomplish more than any of us can alone."

Nicholas extended thanks to "everyone who worked a beach cleanup or knapweed pull, came to a picnic, attended a class or contributed in many unmentioned ways to Bete Grise Preserve and protection of this last, best coastal marsh of this type in the Upper Great Lakes!"

The addition of Bete Grise Wetlands will increase the size of the existing Bete Grise Preserve to over 3200 acres. As part of the CELCP grant terms, the new lands will be owned by HKCD and have a conservation easement held by Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT). This is similar to the existing Bete Grise Preserve that also includes land owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Stewards of Bete Grise Preserve to meet Feb. 25

Last year, a new stewardship organization, Stewards of Bete Grise (SBGP), was formed as part of a Coastal Zone Management Grant. SBGP will support partners HKCD, KLT and TNC in raising funds for insurance and easement monitoring and other improvements at the Bete Grise Preserve. SBGP will also conduct stewardship activities and events for the public.

The Stewards of Bete Grise Preserve will meet at 6 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Feb. 25, at the MTU Lakeshore Center (formerly UPPCO building) in Houghton. All interested persons are welcome. Please call Sue at (906) 482-0214 for more information.

"Bete Grise belongs to all of the life -- animals and plants with in it -- all of us and the future," Nicholas adds. "Bete Grise Preserve is open to the public 365 days a year for noninvasive recreation, research and education. Thank you to everyone here today and departed that helped make Bete Grise Preserve and the new addition of Bete Grise Wetlands a reality!"

*Learn more about the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) on their Web site.

Updated: CN Rail Transportation Center opens at Michigan Tech

Preparing to cut the ribbon for the recent opening of Michigan Tech's CN (Canadian National) Rail Transportation Center, are, from left, Pasi Lautala, director of Michigan Tech's Rail Transportation Program; student Laura Hess; Matthew Glynn, chief engineer for CN; and student John Hatch. Hess and Hatch are Rail Engineering Activities Club (REAC) officers. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HOUGHTON -- The CN (Canadian National) Rail Transportation Center held a grand opening on Feb. 16, 2010, with a ribbon cutting ceremony, speeches, refreshments and displays of rail activities in Dillman Hall on the Michigan Tech campus.

With a friendly handshake, David Reed, Michigan Tech vice-president of research, right, welcomes Matthew Glynn, CN chief engineer, during the opening of the CN Rail Transportation Center Feb. 16 in Dillman Hall.

CN, one of the largest railroads in North America, recently donated $250,000 to Michigan Technological University's Rail Transportation Program to create the CN Rail Transportation Education Center (CN RTEC).

Photos from REAC (Rail Engineering Activities Club) field trips are displayed during the grand opening of the CN Rail Transportation Center on Feb. 16.

"CN’s generous donation is a strong indication of their ongoing commitment to education and truly gives new identity to the rail transportation activities at Michigan Tech," said Pasi Lautala, director of Michigan Tech's Rail Transportation Program.

Update: Rail Transportation Program Announces Logo Competition

At the fifth annual Rail Night on Tuesday, Feb. 16, Director Pasi Lautala announced the kickoff of a competition to generate a new logo for the Rail Transportation Program. The competition is available to everyone. Ideas must be submitted by Monday, March 15, and the winning design will be unveiled at the Rail Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) meeting on Tuesday, April 6. Prizes will be given to the first- and second-place designers of $150 and $50. For guidelines and rules, see http://www.cee.mtu.edu/railroad/index.htm.

Rail Transportation Program to participate in Webinar Feb. 26

The Rail Transportation Program will participate in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Railroad Engineering Seminar, "Railway Energy Efficiency through Monitoring, Optimization and Innovation," by Clive Roberts, senior lecturer and director of research at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education at the University of Birmingham.

The presentation will be broadcast from UIUC via webinar from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, in Michigan Tech's newly opened CN Rail Transportation Education Center in Dillman 315.

Anyone interested in learning more about the railroad industry is encouraged to participate. Light refreshments will be provided for the event. For more information, visit the UIUC website or contact Pasi Lautala at 487-3547 or ptlautal@mtu.edu.

Rail Transportation scholarships available

Over $10,000 in designated railroad scholarships are available for graduate or undergraduate students in any discipline with an interest in railroad transportation. Interested students are encouraged to apply for AREMA, CSX Transportation and UP Railroad scholarships.

CSX and UP applications must be received by Bill Sproule by Friday, March 5. AREMA scholarships must be received by AREMA by Friday, March 12. Only one AREMA application is necessary for all available AREMA scholarships.

Guidelines and applications can be downloaded online.

Update: Utah Judge postpones Tim DeChristopher trial

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- The trial of University of Utah student and conservation activist Tim DeChristopher, who spoke in Marquette at the Protect the Earth event last August about his December 2008 protest against a corrupt federal oil and gas lease auction of public lands by the Bureau of Land Management, has been postponed from March 15, 2010, to an indefinite date.*

DeChristopher has been charged with two felonies for his civil disobedience. Supporters had been invited to come to Salt Lake City on March 15 to protest the trial of a young man who consciously bid money he didn't have, risking jail, because he believed he could not, in conscience, pass up the opportunity to do something to combat climate change -- an issue he feels threatens the survival of his and future generations.

U.S. District Judge Dee Benson has postponed the trial, planning to use the March 15 date for a hearing to consider DeChristopher's lawyers’ contention that Tim is being prosecuted selectively (meaning other people have bid on leases and never paid, and were never prosecuted).

For more information from DeChristopher's supporters, consult the FAQ page from the Web site Peaceful Uprising.

Click here for the Salt Lake Tribune's Feb. 17, 2010, article on the judge's postponement of the trial.

*Editor's Note: See our report on Tim DeChristopher's presentation in Marquette in our Aug. 5, 2009, article, "Protect the Earth 2009: Part 1."

Author Jabari Asim to speak at two Black History events Feb. 22

HOUGHTON -- Two Black History Month events will feature Jabari Asim, author of The N Word and What Obama Means ... today, Monday, Feb. 22, at Michigan Tech.

At noon the public is invited to "Meet the Author of The N Word" in the MUB Ballroom. The N word continues to spark fierce debate and outrage with its use in mainstream culture. Jabari Asim’s book The N Word answers the questions of why and how the word is used. Asim wisely puts the discussion within a larger historical context. Most importantly, the book addresses why this word remains.

Asim's latest book, What Obama Means ... , will be the subject of his talk at 7 p.m., "An Evening with Jabari Asim," also in the MUB Ballroom on the Michigan Tech campus. Asim will define the context of Obama's presidency and what it means to Americans of all backgrounds. He will also show how Obama turned the old civil-rights model of African American leadership on its head, and show that Obama's election is evidence of the progress that has been made in healing wounds and broadening America's concept of leadership and inspiration.

An accomplished poet, playwright and fiction writer, Jabari Asim has been described as one of the most influential African American literary critics of his generation. He is a frequent public speaker and commentator who has appeared on The Today Show, The Colbert Report, the Tavis Smiley Show and countless other programs. He has lectured at many of the nation’s finest universities, including University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University, Syracuse University and the University of Florida.

More Black History events this week

The film Amazing Grace will be shown at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the MUB Ballroom. The film is about idealist William Wilberforce, crusader for the British abolition of slavery. This event is presented by the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

At the Food for the Soul Brown Bag Lunch at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 24, Dr. Mel C. Norwood, African American Outreach Coordinator at Michigan Tech, will present "Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Relevant and Necessary in 21st Century America." The event will be held in MUB Ballroom B.

Rozsa Art Gallery to host reception for Chandra Dieppa Ortiz exhibit Feb. 20

HOUGHTON -- The Rozsa Center is hosting an opening reception for artist Chandra Dieppa Ortiz's solo exhibit, "The Record Player Project: Fragment/Appropriate/Remix," at 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, in the Rozsa Art Gallery.

Dieppa's work is powerful and colorful -- contemporary in subject matter, but timeless in its honest and unflinching observation of the human condition.

Curator Michael G. Bennett of Vassar College writes this of Dieppa's work: "The works of the artist known as Dieppa reveal and render problematic any number of societal issues, but always through a visual vernacular that stresses the beauty intrinsic to even the most inhumane conditions. Like the works of the great appropriationists/collagists of the 20th century, bracketed by Braque, Picasso and other cubists at its opening, and near its close by Romare Bearden, Dieppa's art visualizes fragmented spaces, multi-dimensional collapses and detonated yet immediately almost-recognizable figures, all reconstituted by her polarizing thought and deft technique into a coherent form, like iron filings in a strong magnetic field."

Dieppa works in paintings, mixed media collage and assemblage -- and explores the historical and contemporary use of storytelling. Dieppa uses musical forms such as jazz, blues and hip-hop to create complex rhythmic compositions that create emotional environments where fragments, symbols and images play against textured surfaces.

Her work explores issues of race, class, gender and culture in the hopes of creating a dialogue between communities and generations by visualizing cultural armor. Dieppa believes that "cultural armor" protects by using love, humor, faith, music, stories and the telling of truths to empower and inspire each generation. Currently, Dieppa is interpreting the works of the late playwright August Wilson through collages that juxtapose the rhythm, dialect and "beautiful struggle" of the black experience in the 20th century.

Dieppa currently works as an adjunct professor at Massachusetts College of Art and with Boston Public Schools as a violence prevention specialist and teacher trainer. She was recently nominated for the prestigious Foster Prize from the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston.

The exhibit is free and open to the public during Rozsa Box Office hours -- 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the Rozsa at 487-3200 or www.rozsa.mtu.edu. For more information on Chandra Dieppa Ortiz, visit www.dieppastudio.com.

Family Snowshoe Adventure at Redwyn's Dunes, Great Sand Bay, Feb. 20

HOUGHTON -- The next Family Adventure hike is from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, at Michigan Nature Association's sanctuary, Redwyn’s Dunes on Great Sand Bay (3.5 miles northeast of Eagle River and 4 miles southwest of Eagle Harbor).

Bring snowshoes. Meet trip leader, Joan Chadde of the Western UP Science, Math and Environmental Education Center, at the trailhead along M-26. We can warm up at the Eagle Harbor Inn afterwards!

Rio Tinto/Kennecott haul road would impact bird species: Feb. 20 is deadline for public comments

By Skye Haas, vice-chairman, Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (MDNRE) comment period for the proposed Rio Tinto/Kennecott haul road to serve the Eagle Project sulfide mine near Marquette ends this Saturday, Feb. 20.

This proposed road will cut right through some of the last great roadless, wild areas of Michigan.

This proposed habitat degradation and fragmentation through the Michigamme Highlands caused by the creation of the proposed Woodland Road will have a negative impact on the breeding bird species that can be found in this area. I have found after five years of conducting Breeding Bird Atlas Surveys, that the northern Marquette County watersheds provide some of the greatest diversity, richness and abundance of bird species present in the Upper Peninsula.

American Bittern. (Photo © and courtesy Skye Haas, http://keweenawraptorsurvey.org/ )

Links to more information on this proposed road can be found here:
(The first link is a synthesis of the following links, though dive on in if you like!)

http://www.savethewildup.org/files/reasons_to_deny.pdf

http://www.savethewildup.org/files/part_632_overview.pdf

http://www.savethewildup.org/files/woodland_road_comments.pdf

http://www.savethewildup.org/files/woodland_road_analysis.pdf

Black-backed Woodpecker. (Photo © and courtesy Skye Haas)

Species that use this area for breeding that are listed by the MDNRE and MNFI (Michigan Natural Features Inventory) as State Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern include the following: Spruce Grouse, Common Loon, American Bittern, Northern Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin, and Black-backed Woodpecker. Also of interest are these IBA Audubon watch-list species that nest in this area: Olive-sided Flycatcher, Bay-breasted Warbler, and Canada Warbler.

Spruce Grouse. (Photo © and courtesy Skye Haas)

Finally, even though it is currently not on a watch-list, I have become increasingly concerned that Boreal Chickadees are experiencing a potential significant decline in the Upper Peninsula. The Michigamme Highlands are the epicenter for this species in the UP, and further fragmentation to their habitat would likely contribute to their decline.

Rather than further develop one of the more remote and near-roadless wild areas of Michigan, we should be strengthening our commitment and stewardship to protect such special areas. There are already existing roadways (the Triple AAA and Co Rd 550) that could service as transport routes for the Eagle Project.

Please note that the MDNRE is looking for technical comments as they apply to Part 303 Wetlands Protection.

Here are some ways to get your comments counted:

Email comments at the following link -- generates an automatic email from their website:
http://www.deq.state.mi.us/lwmpnh/commentform.asp?aid=09520086&at=ph

or send directly to:

Smolinski, Mike (DEQ) -- SMOLINSKIM@michigan.gov -- person in Gwinn, Mich., who will make the permit decision. Include:
RE: Woodland Road Application File: 09-52-0086-P

Hayes, Kate (DEQ) HAYESK@michigan.gov -- person in Lansing who is in charge of this permit relative to Consolidation.

Cary Gustafson gustafsonc1@michigan.gov -- Kate's boss in Lansing.

Snail mail might make the deadline if sent priority or express mail immediately as follows:

Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment
P.O. Box 30204
Lansing, MI 48909
RE: Woodland Road Application File: 09-52-0086-P

or

Mr. Mike Smolinski
Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment
420 5th St.
Qwinn, MI 49841

cc: Director Rebecca Humphries
MDNRE
Mason Building,
Sixth Floor,
P.O. Box 30028,
Lansing MI 48909

and, finally:
cc:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
PHONE: (517) 373-3400
PHONE: (517) 335-7858 – Constituent Services
FAX:(517) 335-6863
EMAIL: http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21995-65331–,00.html

The more comments we can get in the better. Your comments must be in their hands by close of day Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010.

Editor's Note: Guest author Skye Haas, vice-chairman, Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society, recently sent this letter to an email list of birders. Keweenaw Now requested and received permission from Skye Haas to publish it, with his photos, for our readers' information.

Finlandia Art and Design alumni exhibit to open Feb. 18

Kayo Miwa's "Snow Covered Walk" is among the art works to be exhibited in the first Finlandia University International School of Art and Design alumni exhibit Feb. 18-March 24 in the Finnish American Heritage Center. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University International School of Art and Design (ISAD) will present its first alumni exhibit at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, from Feb. 18 to March 24, 2010.

An opening reception for the artists will take place at the gallery from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18. An artist talk will begin at 7:15 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

"Logo Design for Art on the Rocks" by Stephanie Lake is part of the alumni exhibit.

In the 11 years since the bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree program began at Finlandia University, 87 students have graduated in five concentration areas: Ceramic Design, Fiber Arts/Fashion Design, Interdisciplinary Design, Graphic Design, and Studio Arts.

The Alumni 2010 exhibit spotlights the current work of 22 Finlandia BFA graduates.

For 2004 BFA graduate Mike Godell, paintings evolve from doodles done while working as a graphic artist.

Graphic artist Mike Godell's "Owl Tree Bubble."

"My work is a place to rest, a place away from the exhausting qualities of the technologies that consume daily life," says Godell. "Lost in the patterns, while recreating moments that have etched themselves into my consciousness, I weave sensations of excitement and serenity with a touch of magic."

Melisa Gronowski ('08) may just use your trash to create her art. In pieces titled "Footprints," Gronowski poses questions about the environment and recycling.

"When you walk through the trash and rubble, do you leave footprints… or do you just add to the destruction?" Gronowski asks. "We tell ourselves, 'Someone else will take care of it.' What happens when an entire society begins to think that way? What are we left with?"

Ansley Knoch, "Costumes designed for Shoebox Tour, Iceland 09."

Robert Lake ('07) sees his design work as purposeful. "Through all the struggles I have been faced with I still wake up every day with the passion to design and create art," Lake notes. "I give thanks to God for giving me this gift to make the world better by not creating objects but tools for life."

Since graduating in 2009, fiber artist Chaslyn Duffek has started an environmentally conscious business called Wool Origins.

"Embracing a conscious awareness of the environment and producing functional, one-of-a-kind interior textiles is the foundation of my art," Duffek explains. "Designing and constructing each piece individually by hand ensures a non-toxic, eco-friendly process that requires full attention to excellence and detail."

Alex Zablocki, "Ceramic cups."

Additional mediums included in the Alumni Exhibit 2010 include ceramic design, installation art, fashion design, painting, drawing and art made from recycled materials.

The Finlandia University Gallery is in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 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., Saturday 12 to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

Black History Month celebration continues at Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON -- The 2010 Black History Month Celebration continues at Michigan Tech this week. Here is the schedule of upcoming events:

DiversiTEA -- 4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17, Memorial Union Alumni Lounge. Presented by Multicultural Affairs. Discussion about the origins of the "N" word and its uses in modern culture. This presentation, by Nicole White and Dr. Mel C. Norwood, will set the stage for further dialogue by Jabari Asim, author of the popular book, The N Word, who will visit the Tech campus Monday, Feb. 22.

Swingin' Beats Move the Streets -- 7 p.m. , Thursday, Feb. 18, MUB Commons. Black Student Organizations Showcase.

Comedian Ronnie Jordan -- 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 19, Memorial Union Ballroom. Presented by Student Activities Comedy Series.

Justice Week -- Feb. 19-26. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Open Mic Coffee House -- 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, Wadsworth Hall Campus Café Annex. Presented by the Black Student Association.

Sons of Norway, KNSC host successful Barneløpet Ski Race

A photo essay by Michele and Gustavo Bourdieu

During the recent Third Annual Sons of Norway Barneløpet Cross-Country Ski Race, a young skier heads down the river trail in the gorge at Maasto Hiihto. The six-kilometer race along the river was a new addition to the Barneløpet this year. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photos by Keweenaw Now, unless otherwise indicated.)

HANCOCK -- The Third Annual Sons of Norway Barneløpet Cross-Country Ski Race attracted about 70 young skiers and a number of supportive parents, some of whom skied with their kids, on Feb. 7 at Maasto Hiihto Trails in Hancock.

Parents and kids prepare for the Barneløpet Cross-Country Ski Race at Maasto Hiihto Trails on Feb. 7. Ski waxing is provided at left.

Barneløpet skiers practice a few runs before the races begin. (Videoclips by Keweenaw Now)

"We had a good turnout," said John Diebel, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club Board member and treasurer and one of the organizers of the race.

Some of the younger participants line up for the start of the Barneløpet races.

The Barneløpet, a Norwegian word meaning "the children’s race," welcomed youth ages three through 17 and their families. The non-competitive event was sponsored by Sons of Norway Ulseth Lodge 5-670, Portage Health, the City of Hancock and the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC).

Skiers line up near the Maasto Hiihto Chalet as the six-kilometer race is about to start.

"Thanks to all the volunteers, the event was a success again this year," said Wayne Stordahl, Sons of Norway Ulseth Lodge president.

This year a new event was added -- a challenging six-kilometer course, which descends into the gorge and follows the scenic river trail along the stream.

Skiers head toward the river trail during the six-kilometer race. (Photo © and courtesy John Diebel. Reprinted with permission.)

Barneløpet skiers follow the river trail during the new six-kilometer course through the gorge at Maasto Hiihto. (Videoclip by Keweenaw Now)

For more novice skiers, relatively easy one-, two-, and four-kilometer freshly groomed striding courses were available for both youth and adults.

A young skier heads toward the finish line.

Although the races were non-competitive, awards were given to those with the best times: Ethel Karinen for the 1-k race, with a time of 6:42; Heidi Karinen for the 2-k, with 11:26; Sal Sharp for the 4-k, with 19:45; and Pete Karinen for the 6-k river trail ski, with 24:13.

"Who needs poles?" This little guy seems to be doing just fine without them as he heads for the finish line.

In addition, all youth who finished their course received a colorful Norwegian Olympic-style enameled medallion.

The Sons of Norway 2010 Barneløpet medallion was awarded to each skier who completed a course in the race.

Skiers were treated to cookies and hot chocolate or coffee, thanks to volunteers who braved the cold to serve the large numbers of participants outside the chalet.

Yum! Nothing like cookies and hot chocolate to warm up after a race!

After the race, a group of advanced young skiers received special travel scholarships from KNSC to help them qualify for the Junior Olympics.

Following the Barneløpet races, these skiers each received a generous scholarship check from KNSC for travel expenses to help them qualify for the Junior Olympics: Pictured, from left, front row, are Ruth Oppliger, Emily Humes and Emily Oppliger; back row, from left, Elias Featherly and Kai Sharp. (Photo © and courtesy John Diebel. Reprinted with permission.)

Watch for a slide show with more photos of the 2010 Barneløpet, coming soon!

For more information about the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, visit their Web site.

Sons of Norway is an international organization promoting Norwegian traditions, fraternal fellowship, and cultural learning in the United States, Canada and Norway. Local Sons of Norway lodge activities may include language camps, scholarships, handcrafts, cooking and cultural classes, heritage and sports awards programs, travel opportunities and the monthly Viking Magazine. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., Sons of Norway was founded in 1895.

Visit www.nlc-calumet.org/SON for more information about the local chapter of Sons of Norway.

Max J. Seel named Michigan Tech provost, vice president for academic affairs

HOUGHTON -- Max J. Seel was named provost and vice president for academic affairs at Michigan Technological University today, Feb. 15, 2010. Seel, who has been acting as interim provost since January 2009, was one of three finalists for the position.

Max J. Seel, newly appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at Michigan Technological University. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University. Reprinted with permission.)

"The University community is extremely fortunate that Max has agreed to serve as provost and vice president for academic affairs," said Michigan Tech President Glenn D. Mroz. "His extensive experience as a faculty member, department chair and college dean will serve us well. He is dedicated to Michigan Tech and has a vision for its future consistent with our strategic plan and long term goals."

The provost is the chief academic officer of the University. As such, he is responsible for all of Michigan Tech’s academic programs and faculty. The provost is also responsible for development and implementation of strategic initiatives to raise academic programs to the highest level. He promotes scholarship, expansion of Michigan Tech’s research, and efforts to increase and enhance diversity.

"I am honored to be chosen as Michigan Tech's next provost and vice president for academic affairs," said Seel. "I will do my best to contribute to growing Michigan Tech as premier technological research university, to advancing the unity of teaching and research, and, together with all the other administrators and staff, to making faculty and students successful."

A native of Germany, Seel received a PhD in computational solid-state physics and theoretical chemistry from the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg and spent a postdoctoral year at the IBM research laboratory in San Jose, Calif. He taught and did research in quantum chemistry and computational physics at the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg until joining the Michigan Tech physics faculty in 1986 ...

Read the rest of this article by Jennifer Donovan on the Michigan Tech News.

Portage Library to host young violinists, 100th birthday celebration this week

HOUGHTON -- The Copper Country Suzuki Association will present "Big Violins for Little People, Part II" from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton.

The Portage Library also invites everyone to celebrate its 100th birthday on Thursday, Feb. 18. Cake and ice cream will be served beginning at noon. A display of memorabilia will commemorate 100 years of community service which began on Feb. 18, 1910 in what is now the Carnegie Museum. Later in the spring, the museum and the library will co-host celebrations that pay tribute to a century of great community service.

Library programs are free and open to all. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit their Web site at www.pldl.org.