Updated: Hancock's Tori offers fresh produce, baked goods, crafts, more ...

At Hancock's Tori Market, a large display of baked goods, jams and jellies can be seen each week at the table of Martha Sohlden of Chassell, Tori market master. In the background are Sandy Soring of Copper City, Tori co-manager, who makes baskets, and Gustavo Bourdieu of Hancock, who sells fresh vegetables and honey. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Dorn Dyttmer)

By Yunhua Li*

HANCOCK -- The Tori Market on Quincy Street in downtown Hancock sells locally grown vegetables, plants, and flowers; locally made jams, jellies, and baked goods; locally crafted jewelry, towels, and baskets. It is held every Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from June through October -- rain or shine.

Sandy Soring of Copper City, Tori co-manager, displays her hand-made baskets at the Tori. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Dorn Dyttmer)

"The weather does affect the market sometimes (heavy rain, etc.) but there is a tent up next to the Finnish Heritage Center and people are showing up even on the less sunny days," Tori Market Co-Manager Jeanne Medlyn said.

Tori means market in Finnish. The Finnish people in the local area want to maintain the culture of having a big outdoor market. The Tori market was formerly located at Montezuma Park, but now is on Quincy Street, in front of the old Hancock Middle School.

"Parking is more convenient," Carol Williams, one of the merchants, said. "It is better here than the park."

The Tori moved to a new place because Finlandia University has a Finnish background and wanted the market to move close to them. The City of Hancock wanted them there because the City is going to tear up the road near the Montezuma Park area.

"I get to know a lot of people in the community and it is fun," said Williams with a smile. "It doesn’t cost that much, and it is inexpensive to do."

Williams earns her living by making jewelry. She has been at the Tori Market for four years. She likes to make necklaces, earrings, and bracelets with beads. Their prices vary. The lowest-priced earrings are $10, and the necklaces are always $70 or more. She spends many hours making the more expensive pieces. Her works are also in the Copper Country Community Arts Center, located in Hancock on Quincy Street. Her husband creates baked goods for sale in the Tori.

"I love working here," 81-year-old Dan Kemppainen said. "All I like to do is gardening."

Dan Kemppainen displays his vegetables in the Tori. (Photo © 2010 Yunhua Li for Keweenaw Now)

Kemppainen noted he has a garden 200 by 200 feet, where he grows tomatoes, radishes, onions, lettuces, beets and other vegetables. Kemppainen lives in Altantic Mine in the house where he was born. Now he spends winters in Arizona, but returns home every summer to be with his son and plant his garden.

Kemppainen and his wife were founders of the market in 1982. It moved several times before coming to Hancock’s Montezuma Park five years ago.

Gardeners John Lennington and his mother, Dawn Tweedle, of Lake Linden, also grow fresh farm produce and sell several kinds of vegetables and plants, displayed in small baskets.

John Lennington (center, behind table) and his mother, Dawn Tweedle, sell several kinds of fresh vegetables and plants at the Tori Market. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Dorn Dyttmer)

The vegetables included broccoli, sweet onions, cabbage, zucchini and snap beans. Lennington gave me a snap bean and asked me to try it. It was sweet, crunchy and fresh. I bought two fresh zucchini and later cooked them with pork in a Chinese way, and the taste was wonderful.

Dorn Dyttmer of Hancock sells a variety of items in the Tori. There are CDs, frames, photos, instruments -- all kinds of things around him. He designed several convenient, practical items; for example, a paper cutting board which looks like paper but is stronger. A person can use it for three or four days. It is good for camping because it takes only a small space and is very easy to use and throw away.

From note cards to memory aids, Dorn Dyttmer's spot at the Tori offers a variety of items he has designed and crafted himself. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Dorn Dyttmer)

He designed a wooden box which he calls a d’light box. Dyttmer displayed two styles of these boxes. The one for Christmas has a Christmas tree carved on the top. When the box is plugged in, the lights come on and one can see a colorful Christmas tree shape on the box. The other d’light box is made for Halloween. On its top is a skeleton shape, which lights up when it is turned on. Another product that he designed is the "Adult Diet / Dinner Calculator" -- a memory aid. It is for the adult who has a memory problem.

"Always something different," Jeanne Medlyn said. "Early spring did not have many vegetables; June returned early vegetables; July and August have had many more; September and October will have pumpkins and cabbages."

Medlyn sells products from the fleece of sheep instead of vegetables. She sells white with blue, and pink with brown yarn. She also had a basket of black fleece at her feet.

Sheep are dirty, so to make yarn people have to wash the wool, dye it and then spin it into yarn, Medlyn explained. She gets fleece from her friend’s sheep. Medlyn likes to use a spinning wheel to demonstrate yarn making. She makes sweaters, scarves, mittens and other things. Medlyn invites people to come work with her if they are interested in making yarn.

The Tori Market offers artists and artisans as well as farmers and gardeners a place to sell their products. Here artist Vanessa Lipson chats with a customer about her crafts. (Photo © 2010 Yunhua Li for Keweenaw Now)

For those who want to sell their products, the market is set up between 8:15 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. and selling begins at 9 a.m. The cost is $5 for the day, and you have to bring your own table or chair.

"If you only have a small amount to sell -- three tomatoes and five onions, for example, you just pay 10 percent of your total sale up to $5," Medlyn noted.

The new State of Michigan cottage food law has really opened the market to more people who like to sell homemade food like jam, bread, cookies, honey, etc., Medlyn explained.

Customers interested in buying the really fresh organic vegetables should get to the Tori early. There is plenty of parking, and one can park in front of the Finlandia bookstore or on the street. One convenience of the market being near Finlandia is that you can use the bookstore restroom and take your time to enjoy this outdoor market.

Gustavo Bourdieu of Hancock sells his fresh vegetables and natural honey in the Tori. His onions have been especially popular this summer! (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Dorn Dyttmer)

One of Gustavo Bourdieu's favorite onions. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

I was there around 10:30 a.m., and the sellers had already sold half or more of their vegetables. The customers kept coming. Most of them were previous customers who prefer to have organic vegetables. The vegetables are fresh and the sellers pick them early in the morning. The prices are affordable, and the sellers are local people who are kind and cheerful. Even though some customers do not buy anything, the sellers still like to talk with them. In interviewing the gardeners, I found that they graciously talked about their experiences and shared their information. The Tori Market is a part of local culture.

For more information about the Tori, please call 482-1605 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Editor's Notes: Visit the Tori Market Web site for more photos. Visiting reporter Yunhua Li was a student in David Clanaugh's summer journalism class, for which she wrote this article. She interviewed the market sellers earlier this summer, and we apologize for the delay in posting this article. See also her July 23 article, "A Chinese look at July Fourth celebrations."

Update: Hancock's Finnish Theme Committee developed the concept of the Tori Market. According to City Manager Glenn Anderson, Hancock's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) provides funding and is planning to supply a new tent for the Tori next year. The City of Hancock provides insurance and some marketing for the Tori.

Native American author, filmmaker to speak Sept. 14 in Rozsa

HOUGHTON -- Sherman Alexie, the author of the book that was featured in this year's Reading as Inquiry project for Michigan Tech first-year students, will speak from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, in the Rozsa Center. The public is welcome.

Alexie's presentation is, "Without Reservations: An Urban Indian's Comic, Poetic, and Highly Irreverent Look at the World."

Alexie is a poet, novelist and filmmaker who received the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award. His book titled The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian is based on his own experiences and tells the story of a Native American teen who transfers from the reservation school to a wealthy, white school in a nearby town.

In the Reading as Inquiry project, first-year students read Alexie's book over the summer and discussed it during Orientation. The purpose of the program is to introduce students to college-level reading, inquiry and discussion.

Editor's Note: For more details on the Reading as Inquiry program and Alexie's book, see Keweenaw Now guest author Samantha Stauch's Aug. 22 article "Michigan Tech’s Reading as Inquiry Program creates community connections."

Another distress flag flies at Rio Tinto mine site

A distress flag flies above Eagle Rock, the entry of Rio Tinto-Kennecott's planned sulfide mine near Big Bay, Mich. The site is on leased state land. Mine opponents, including members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) question the legality of the lease and of the mine permits granted to Rio Tinto by the Michigan DNRE (Department of Natural Resources and Environment). (Photo courtesy Stand for the Land)

EAGLE ROCK -- Stand for the Land reports another distress flag has been hung at Eagle Rock, the Ojibwa sacred site, now fenced off as the entry location for Rio Tinto-Kennecott's Eagle Project sulfide mine for nickel and copper.

A short article on standfortheland.com reports, "At first we thought Rio Tinto might be flying a Chinese flag (China owns more of Rio Tinto than any other entity) but a zoom lens revealed that another distress flag was flying above Eagle Rock (one flew over the site on July 4 weekend). It’s a sign that, while Rio Tinto and the DNRE (Department of Natural Resources and Environment) continue to break the law, the public is still keeping watch."

Editor's Note: Read about the distress flag and what it represents for Native Americans in our May 27, 2010, article, "A hot day at Eagle Rock -- before arrests of campers." Visit Stand for the Land for more photos.

Gary McDowell, Congressional candidate, visits Houghton County Dems

State Representative Gary McDowell (center, standing), Democratic candidate for Michigan’s First Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, greets Houghton County Democrats at their headquarters in Houghton during a brief visit on Aug. 29, 2010. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

By Michele Bourdieu

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. -- State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Sault Ste. Marie) took to the airwaves this week with the first television ad in his campaign to represent Michigan’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The ad introduces McDowell to those northern Michigan residents whom he has not yet had a chance to meet in his travels across the sprawling district that covers nearly half of Michigan's landmass.

"These past few months I have had the privilege of meeting with and listening to people in every corner of this district, from Bay County to the Keweenaw, and look forward to continuing to do so over the next eight weeks," McDowell said. "This first television ad helps provide those whom I have not already served in the state legislature or had a chance to meet an opportunity to learn more before casting their vote in November."*

McDowell entered the Congressional race after First District U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) said last April he would not run for re-election. McDowell ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary and will face Republican candidate Dan Benishek in the November 2 election.

Recently McDowell -- accompanied by 110th District Michigan Rep. Mike Lahti (D-Hancock), who is running for the State Senate -- visited with local residents at the Democratic Party Headquarters in Houghton. Each one praised the other, noting they work together in Lansing and have become friends.

110th District State Rep. Mike Lahti, second from left, who is running for State Senate, joins State Rep. and Congressional candidate Gary McDowell in urging Houghton County Democrats to talk to their neighbors and reach out to undecided voters during the last few weeks before the Nov. 2 elections. Also pictured here are Jane De Martini, left, and Jacob Davis.

"I just can't tell you how important it is to get Mike in the Senate," McDowell said. "Mike is without question one of the hardest working, most honest, forthright individuals I know."

Lahti had similar praise for his colleague in the Michigan House of Representatives.

"Gary is a hardworking straight-shooter," Lahti said. "He's a man of his word. He works hard for his district."

For the last four years, Lahti added, McDowell has been chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on Community Health, which has the largest appropriations budget other than school aid.

"He really fights for the disadvantaged regarding community health funding," Lahti noted. "I sit next to him in the House and I have a lot of respect for him."

Both candidates encouraged Democrats to talk to undecided voters about the issues for the coming election.

"Since the (2008) election, it's the independents who have really moved away from us (Democrats)," McDowell said.

Both he and Lahti pointed out that, despite the criticism, the stimulus money voted by the Michigan legislature has had positive effects, including support for much-needed infrastructure, broadband, investment in the auto industry and an increase in manufacturing jobs.**

McDowell expresses commitment to Social Security

Social security is an important issue for McDowell, and he has recently talked to senior citizens all over northern Michigan about his commitment to a program that has meant survival for many families.

"We had great support (from seniors)," McDowell said. "Social Security allows them to retire in dignity."

McDowell noted his Republican opponent, Dan Benishek, would like to do away with Social Security.

"He doesn't need Social Security, and he doesn't believe anybody should," McDowell noted.

McDowell recently accused Benishek of pulling the wool over the eyes of northern Michigan seniors by hiding his plan to eliminate Social Security, an important government program here in Michigan's First Congressional District, where 26 percent of all residents receive Social Security benefits.

Gary McDowell speaks with Clarence McDonald, chairman of the Western Upper Peninsula United Auto Workers Retirees during McDowell's visit with Houghton County Democrats on Aug. 29.

"I am absolutely committed to protecting Social Security for today’s seniors and future generations, which is why I pledged to oppose any and all efforts to privatize Social Security, reduce benefits or raise the retirement age," McDowell said. "Dan Benishek can’t say the same because he has been and continues to be a strong advocate for fully eliminating Social Security, even going as far as to call the program a disaster."

McDowell on defending the Great Lakes

Asked whether he would follow Bart Stupak's policy of defending the Great Lakes, McDowell told Keweenaw Now he has supported the legislation opposing drilling in the Great Lakes. He is also opposed to diverting water from the Great Lakes for irrigation or bottled water.

"I feel very strongly that the Great Lakes water belongs here in the Great Lakes Basin," McDowell said. "It should not be diverted to other parts of the country or overseas."

As for the issue of sulfide mining near Lake Superior, McDowell agreed with Lahti's position. Both candidates believe northern Michigan needs jobs that the mining may bring -- as long as the mining is done according to Michigan's recent regulations governing non-ferrous metallic mining.

"Mining has been part of our heritage in the UP," McDowell said. "We need those middle class jobs, but it has to be done properly and safely."

McDowell added he feels the laws are strict enough and were voted unanimously by all stakeholders involved, including the environmental community.

"They (the mining companies) have to follow the laws. If they don't follow them they have to face the consequences of the law," he said.***

The Green Party candidate for Michigan’s First Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Ellis Boal of Charlevoix, says he disagrees with McDowell on the sulfide mining issue.

"(McDowell) says Kennecott's metal sulfide mine at Eagle Rock ten miles from Lake Superior must have adequate safety plans. I say it should just be stopped," Boal says on the FAQ page of his blog.****

McDowell said he is in favor of green energy jobs for northern Michigan.

"These are the jobs of the future in northern Michigan ... creating fuels that are clean and sustainable, and the jobs would be created right here because the source of that fuel (wood for biomass) would be here," he said.

Asked whether he would support wind energy in Lake Superior, McDowell replied, "I have an open mind about it. I haven't made a decision on it."

A lifelong hay farmer, McDowell said he supports small farms, locally grown food and small businesses.

"We just passed legislation in Lansing helping small farmers," he noted. "If you create a job just for one family, you help sustain communities in northern Michigan," he noted.

Learn more about Gary McDowell by visiting his Web site.

* Click here to view McDowell's first campaign ad.
** See our March 17, 2010, article, "Federal stimulus money funding Hancock projects could total $15.9 million."
*** In July 2010, before the Primary election, Gary McDowell appeared to agree with Bart Stupak that the $17 million assurance bond put up by Kennecott does not provide nearly enough funding to address the damage that the Eagle sulfide mine could create. McDowell was also quoted as saying the company should pay for needed oversight. See the July 2, 2010, article by Eartha Jane Melzer in the Michigan Messenger, "McDowell: Kennecott mine must have adequate safety plans."
**** Click here to read Boal's comments on both Benishek and McDowell and the philosophical differences that inspire him to run against both.

North Wind Books, Portage Library host "U.P." author, film producer Sept. 14

HANCOCK -- Ronald "R.A." Riekki, author of U.P., the best-selling novel published in 2008 by Ghost Road Press, will visit both North Wind Books in Hancock and the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton on Tuesday, Sept. 14.

Ron Riekki, author of the best-selling novel U.P. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

With Riekki will be actor and producer Steven Wiig, who is planning to shoot a movie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula based on Riekki’s book.

Riekki will discuss and sign copies of his book from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at North Wind Books. Riekki and Wiig will present the book U.P. and their ideas for the movie at 6:30 p.m. the same day at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton.

Set in Marquette County in 1989, the novel is a complex tale of friendship and brutality. U.P. is the story of four teens immersed in an ugly world, one whose threat of violence is always simmering beneath the surface.

"R.A. Riekki's distinctive characters and their poignant quest for freedom is a swan song to lost youth, redefining the traditional coming-of-age story," says a description of the book at amazon.com.

In the novel, four boys tell four distinct narratives that converge into a harrowing and heartbreaking whole.

Riekki and Wiig, both Negaunee, Mich., natives, attended Northern Michigan University. They are making appearances throughout the Upper Peninsula to spread the word about the book and movie in a grass roots campaign to give readings and gather support. During their U.P. travels, they are also scouting filming locations and hoping to meet locals who want to act in the movie. Their promotional tour is being documented on Facebook at facebook.com/u.p.movie.

Riekki has an M.F.A. in Theater Arts/Playwriting from Brandeis University, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing/Fiction from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in Literature and Creative Writing from Western Michigan University. His work has been published widely, and he has been awarded several writing and journalism awards.

Steven Wiig was encouraged by actor, writer, and director Sean Penn to start acting and was cast in the films Into the Wild and Milk, where he became immersed in the world of filmmaking. Throughout his career he has worked on films, videos and documentaries and also worked full-time on the road and in the recording studio with the multi-Grammy-award-winning heavy metal band Metallica.

Steven Wiig, actor and producer, hopes to make a film based on Ronald Riekki's book U.P. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

Both the novel and U.P. merchandise will be available for purchase at each event.

North Wind Books is located in downtown Hancock at 435 Quincy St. For additional information about the book signing, please contact North Wind Books at 906-487-7217.

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

Calumet Public Library announces events, new hours

CALUMET -- The Calumet Public Library announces two events open to the public on Wednesday evenings in September and October.

On Wednesday, Sept. 15, Friends of the Calumet Public Library will hold their monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Library. The meeting is open to all. Darryl Pierce, superintendent of the Public Schools of Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw (CLK), will meet with the Friends of the Calumet Public Library to discuss changes in library services necessitated by budgetary concerns and will update us on future efforts to secure funding for the library. All are welcome to attend this important meeting.

A meeting of the Wish List committee will follow the monthly meeting.

On Wednesday, Oct. 13, Red Jacket Readers invite the public to join them at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion of the entertaining book, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, by Bill Bryson.

Even if you've never considered hiking the 2,100-mile trail stretching from Maine to Georgia, you are sure to identify with elements in this humorous sketch of Bryson's (middle-aged and out of shape) experience. This discussion will be led by Jane DeMartini, and refreshments will be served. (Bring your favorite trail mix!) Multiple copies of the book are available in the library, so start reading today! (Local booksellers have copies of this modern classic, if you'd like to purchase a copy of your own.)

Beginning Monday, Sept. 13, Calumet Public Library hours will be as follows:

• Monday -- 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Tuesday -- 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Wednesday -- 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday -- 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Friday -- 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

(In case of bad weather, when school is canceled, all library programs are canceled.)

TREES to perform Sept. 13 at Portage Lake District Library

HOUGHTON -- Lindsay Tomasic and Jesse Fitzpatrick of TREES will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13, at the Portage Lake District Library.

Lindsay Tomasic and Jesse Fitzpatrick of TREES will play acoustic music at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton. They will also entertain from 4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. at the Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival in Marquette on Saturday, Sept. 11.*

Copper Country natives, Lindsay and Jesse have been crafting original songs and creating fine acoustic music since the early 1970s. Songs performed on traditional instruments and infused with intricately woven vocal harmonies make the earthy sound of TREES just get better with time!

CDs will be available for purchase after the concert. Their new album, One Voice, is being released on Datolite Records this month. Watch for it!

*Editor's Note: The TREES duo will also perform from 4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, on the Song Stage at the Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival, sponsored by the Beaumier Heritage Center. The festival will take place on the lawn in front of the Don H. Bottum University Center and the DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University in Marquette. Admission is free to the public, though donations are appreciated. The festival begins tonight, Friday, Sept. 10, with the Funky Folk Dance, featuring Conga Se Menne at 7 p.m. and the PasiCats at 8:30 p.m. (note time change). Click here for the schedule.

Carnegie Museum celebrates Centennial with historic, educational displays

The Carnegie Museum in Houghton is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Portage Lift Bridge with a historic exhibit. Click on photos for larger versions. (Poster courtesy Carnegie Museum)

By Chad Girard*

HOUGHTON -- When one walks into the Carnegie Museum without an appreciation for the past, they see an aged building, peeling paint, and faded pictures on rough backdrops. Below the surface there is original structural timber older than most humans. This timber silently speaks to a century of hard work and history.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Museum, located on the corner of Huron and Montezuma in Houghton. The building was originally constructed as a library in 1909, funded by a $15,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie and opened to the public on Feb. 18, 1910.

Elise Nelson, Carnegie Museum director, said the historic landmark has great importance to the community.

"This community has become more sensitive to historic buildings and restorations," Nelson said. "We are recognizing the importance of honoring history and reusing materials. A great deal of energy was put into this building over the years."

Recent Carnegie Museum exhibits of historic photographs and documentation celebrate not only the centennial of the museum itself but also other historic commemorations, including two important anniversaries.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Portage Lift Bridge connecting Houghton and Hancock. This exhibit is located directly across from the main entrance behind the library’s original reference desk. Included in this display is an image gallery reconstructed by Michigan Tech’s Dr. Kris Mattila of the Civil Engineering Department. Historic photographs are accompanied by a video about the building of the engineering feat that joins these two communities.

Included in the Portage Lift Bridge 50th Anniversary exhibit is this bridge model made by Jessica-Rae Marcotte, a sixth grader at Dollar Bay Tamarack City Elementary School. Jessica-Rae was a National History Day finalist in the competition held in Dearborn, Mich., Apr. 24, 2010. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

"Senter of the Copper Country -- the Story of the Atlas Powder Co. of Senter, Michigan" is another centennial exhibit in the museum. To the right of the museum entrance is an in-depth look at Atlas Powder Company formerly located in Senter, Mich.

The Carnegie Museum's exhibit on Senter, Mich., includes this display about the Atlas Powder Co. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

From 1910 to 1960 the Atlas Powder Company produced dynamite for the nearby Copper Mines. While the company was in operation for 50 years, the town of Senter that it established is celebrating 100 years this year. Created by Bill Haller, author of Atlas Powder, Senter, Michigan 1910-1960, and John Backman, this exhibit details the layout and production of the factory and company town that was spread throughout 200 hundred buildings across a 1,800-acre compound near Dollar Bay, Mich.

This Feb. 1953 Daily Mining Gazette Photo from the Michigan Tech Archives is displayed in the Senter exhibit at the Carnegie Museum. It shows an Atlas Powder Co. shell truck with Andrew Gazetti driving and Ray Sved on the back of the load. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Atlas had a close connection with the local mining community, providing blasting charges used in the copper and iron industries. A related display, created by a local student, is shaped like a stick of dynamite, engaging viewers interested in the history of the explosive tool.

"Stories from the Woods," a multi-media exploration of the storytelling traditions of the Upper Peninsula, returns to the Carnegie for the month of September. Created by and on loan from the Beaumier Heritage Center at Northern University, this exhibit looks at the story traditions of the Upper Peninsula. Nineteen interpretive panels are accompanied by five audio stations featuring recordings of stories and songs collected in the U.P.

This poster announces the current "Stories from the Woods" exhibit at the Carnegie Museum through Sept. 30. (Poster courtesy Carnegie Museum)

In the museum's lower level are exhibits about local plant ecology and an area designed to engage visitors, particularly children, in active learning. During the monthly "Science Saturdays," additional activities or demonstrations are presented. The current display, which focuses on electricity and magnetism, will be open through September 30.

The interactive displays on electricity and magnetism on the lower level of the Carnegie Museum are available to families and young visitors through Sept. 30. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

One new exhibit planned for this fall, on the lower level, will be the Fourth Annual Gingerbread House in preparation for the holidays. Children and their families are invited to contribute to the play-house-size creation by bringing small items, including candy, to "glue" onto the building.

An exhibit on Victorian Spinning Optical Toys helps children learn about historic precursors of the movies. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Many of the exhibits in the museum as well as the materials in the displays have resulted from local residents’ research and hard work. Though the building does not provide direct income for the community, it is a resource in the sense of attracting people to the area and educating about the community’s history.

This display of Copper Country Native Plants is part of the Carnegie Museum's permanent collection. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Chad Girard)

The Carnegie Museum’s operating hours are from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. Parking is available in a lot behind the building, or in the City lot across Montezuma Street.

For more information please call 482-7140, or email history@cityofhoughton.com.

*Editor's Note: Visiting reporter Chad Girard was a student in David Clanaugh's summer journalism class at Michigan Tech.

Michigamme Highlands Walk renews spirits

By Steve Garske*

The day started with introductions and information about the walk. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy S. Garske)

MARQUETTE -- It was hot and windy as about 30 people from across the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin met on the Wolf Lake Road near Humboldt in Marquette County Michigan on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010. Our goal was to see part of the gravel road that "Woodland Road LLC" (a limited-liability corporation headed by Kennecott Eagle Minerals Co.) has proposed turning into a mining haul road, and to visit some of the beautiful back country along the North Country Trail.

After Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve Executive Director Emily Whittaker updated us on the status of the "Eagle Mine," we followed the existing road north. The road runs past a smattering of houses, which soon give way to forests, wetlands and streams. Soon the pavement gave way to a two-lane gravel road and then a single-lane gravel road. After traversing several hills and valleys and crossing Voelkers Creek, we reached the Dead River.

Lunch overlooking the Dead River basin.(Photo © 2010 and courtesy Rod Sharka)

A short walk up the hill brought us to the North Country Trail. Heading east along the trail, we were soon treated to a couple of great views of the Dead River basin and beyond. As you can see, the Dead River is actually brimming with life! Everyone enjoyed the gorgeous view.

View of the Dead River basin and Michigamme Highlands from the North Country Trail. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Nancy Garske)

As we soon discovered, this part of the North Country trail traverses a wide range of habitats. At first the trail led through lush northern hardwood forest, followed by groves of white pine and hemlock, and then a grove of upland cedar. One of the more unusual plants we saw along the way was northern holly fern. This distinctive and beautiful fern occurs across Canada and in the Rockies and reaches the southern edge of its range here. Other botanical gems included compressed oatgrass, bristly sarsaparilla, and Braun’s holly fern.

Fronds of northern holly fern. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Christine Saari)

Eventually we reached a big, steep hill covered with hemlock, white pine and red oak, where we saw a patch of a western disjunct plant called tall bilberry. (Simply put, a western disjunct plant has its main range in the western US, while it also grows in the Great Lakes region, with a gap in between.) This blueberry relative often reaches a height of three feet, with berries about twice the size of common blueberries. Unfortunately, by the look of things this patch didn’t produce a single berry this year! Still, just seeing this plant that had been stranded in the UP after the last ice age reminded us of the time scale that the earth operates on, as compared to the scale that we humans usually do.

On the way back the discussion turned to various topics ranging from mushrooms to wetland plants to getting in a swim after the walk! And of course the proposed haul road.

The "Kennecott Expressway"(as some call it) would have cut through some of the most remote, wild country in Michigan. From the mine site on AAA Road, it would have run 22.3 miles south through the heart of the Michigamme Highlands to the town of Humboldt, where a rock crushing facility is being built. During the comment period for the road, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which oversees state enforcement of federal wetland laws, cited numerous objections -- including Kennecott's mis-statement of the road's true purpose; failure to seriously consider alternative routes; and the large impact the road would have on wetlands, streams and wildlife. With the strong possibility that the EPA would deny the permit, Kennecott withdrew its application on May 7, 2010, just before the deadline for a decision.

If the proposed haul road were ever built, it would have an even bigger impact on the land than the mine. In the end, the public may have a significant say in whether or not such a road is ever built. Perhaps it is time to start thinking on the timescale of Mother Earth, rather than relying on the same old short-sighted thinking that has brought the world to the troubled state it's in today.

*Editor's Note: The guest author of this article, Steve Garske, is a botanist who has studied plants in various areas of the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin.

Finlandia Gallery to hold closing reception for Carole Harris's "Improvisations" exhibit Sept. 9

Dancing in the Streets, 2010, by Carole Harris. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- "Improvisations," an exhibition of handmade quilts by Detroit artist Carole Harris, is featured at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, through Sept. 11, 2010.

A closing reception for the artist will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at the gallery. Harris will present a lecture at 7:15 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Harris will be on the Finlandia University campus Sept. 9 to 11 to work with the university's Fiber Arts and Fashion Design majors.

Filled with saturated color and complex patterns, the dense layering of patterns and the repetition of materials that Harris employs in her non-traditional quilts and tapestries are evocative of the rhythms, energy and movement found in African and African-American music, particularly blues and jazz.

"I try to think of my work as the visualization of the music that inspires me," notes Harris.

Rhythm-a ning, 2009, by Carole Harris.

Harris's visual vocabulary comes from a mixture of traditional quilt patterns and her own imagery, impressions and experiments. Her art is composed of hundreds of richly colored fabrics which are cut, overlaid, appliquéd, pieced and quilted.

"Quilts are like paintings, full of color, texture, and design," Harris says. "I try to create energy in both a spontaneous (improvisational) and an organized way -- much as a jazz musician will take a theme and riff on it until it is unrecognizable, while always maintaining control."

Harris's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries nationally and internationally, including the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.; the Museum of Art and Design in New York City; and in Europe and Japan.

Harris earned her B.F.A. degree in interior design at Wayne State University. She is president of Harris Design Group, LLC, an interior design firm which she founded in 1976.

Harris also has a strong commitment to community service, education and arts advocacy. She has served on the boards of Inside Out Literary Arts, African Renaissance Theatre, Pewabic Pottery, Wayne State University Board of Visitors, and the Board of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

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.; Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.; or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

High winds, waves, power outages hit Eagle Harbor Sept. 3

By Michele Bourdieu

EAGLE HARBOR -- Lake Superior greeted Labor Day Weekend visitors with high winds and rain on Friday, Sept. 3 -- a sudden change from sunny, hot weather in late August. Keweenaw Now captured a few moments of the storm near the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse.

Lake Superior's waves crash against rocks along the shore near the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse in Keweenaw County. (Video clip by Keweenaw Now)

Despite power outages that affected several Keweenaw communities in both Keweenaw and Houghton counties, the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse Complex -- including the restored Lighthouse, the Commercial Fishing Museum and the Maritime Museum with shipwreck displays -- remained open and welcomed visitors.

Volunteers from the Keweenaw County Historical Society, which maintains the Lighthouse and museums, were available to give explanations and answer questions.

The Lighthouse, museums and exhibits are open in September and October from Noon to 5 p.m.

For more information visit the Keweenaw County Historical Society Web site.

See also our new slide show with photos taken in Keweenaw County on Sept. 2 and 3, 2010.

Updated: New exhibit features furniture from recycled bikes

HANCOCK -- Marquette artist Andy Gregg makes functional, eco-friendly furniture from salvaged bike parts. His product line -- including chairs, tables, barstools, coat racks and mirrors -- is modern and stylish with an urban look. An exhibit of his work opens on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Copper Country Community Arts Center’s Kerredge Gallery. A closing reception will be announced later this month.

Cynthia Coté, Copper Country Community Arts Center executive director, displays artist Andy Gregg's Milano Lounge Chair, made of recycled bike parts. In the background are some of Gregg's photos, also part of the exhibit that opened today, Sept. 7, in the Kerredge Gallery. Behind Cynthia is a photo of County Road 510 in Marquette County. At left, the large photo is the Final Stage of the Tour de France in Paris, 1992. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

The artist, who has a fine arts degree in photography, was inspired by designers and architects such as Mies van der Rohe and Charles Eames. In 1994 Gregg was hired to start Blackstone Bicycle Works in Chicago. Its mission was to rescue bikes out of the waste stream and teach inner-city youth how to repair them. In exchange, the kids not only learned job skills, but they also had a chance to earn a bike. During that eight year stint, Gregg soaked up inspiration and a commitment to recycling and had a steady supply of materials. In addition to his furniture, the exhibit includes Gregg’s photography -- featuring gritty daredevil bicyclers, street savvy kids with bikes and other subjects reflecting the artist's interests.

Andy Gregg's description of this photo reads as follows: "The Salmon Trout River, running clear, empties into Lake Superior 9 miles downstream from a proposed SULFIDE MINE. The river and lake are under immediate threat by the Kennecott Mineral Company's Eagle Project, proposed to be located directly beneath the river."

Supported in part by a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, this exhibit will run through Oct. 2. The Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information call (906) 482-2333.

Kids Consignment Sale Sep. 24-25 to benefit indoor playground

HOUGHTON -- The Keweenaw Family Resource Center (KFRC) will be holding a fundraising Kids Consignment Sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-25, at the Copper Country Mall on M-26 in Houghton. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the KFRC Tree House Indoor Playground.

Anyone wishing to be a consignor should register by the deadline -- Monday, Sept. 13. Contact Ivette at 906-523-5295 or email KFRCKidsConsign@gmail.com. KFRC's current goal is to have 50 consignors.

Items for the sale should be high-quality and gently-used. These can include clothing, gear, sporting goods, toys, equipment, furniture, etc., for all ages, stages and sizes, as well as maternity clothes and accessories, nursing apparel, diaper bags and much more.

The half-price sale starts at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. Payment must be cash or check only, no credit cards. New Moms and Moms-To-Be can sign up for the First-Time Mom's Club and shop before the sale starts (no strings attached!).

Sen. Levin speaks at Small Business Roundtable in Houghton

U.S. Senator Carl Levin discusses climate and energy issues with Sarah Green, Michigan Tech University Department of Chemistry chair, following Sen. Levin's visit to a Small Business Roundtable Meeting on Aug. 20 at the Franklin Square Best Western Inn Shelden Grill in Houghton. Also pictured is Ed Lahti, local inventor. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

By Michele Bourdieu

HOUGHTON -- U.S. Senator Carl Levin was a guest speaker at the Aug. 20 Small Business Roundtable Meeting with the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) in Houghton. The purpose of the visit, according to Phil Musser, KEDA executive director, was to talk about small business issues. The Senator also spoke briefly to the media and individual constituents after the meeting.

Sen. Levin is on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and is a strong advocate for Michigan small business interests.

"His membership on that committee means that he has impact on small business issues," Musser said. "We want to be able to communicate with him what our priorities are. One of those priorities (which he mentioned in his talk) is called Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)."

Through the SBIR program, government agencies set aside some of their money for small business research to help commercialize products of interest to that agency, Musser explained.

"This is very important money for young companies who don't have a lot of money to do research or commercialize," Musser noted. "I estimate that companies in this community have received 75 or more SBIRs. Those range in size from $50,000 to $750,000."

Musser said these grants are important for helping young companies get their products into the marketplace.

"Senator Levin has been one of those who helped start that program and is a strong supporter of it. It comes up periodically for renewal and he supports full funding of the SBIR program," Musser added.

Musser said Bill and Ellen Campbell's Nitrate Elimination Co., Inc., (NECi) in Lake Linden, founded in 1993, is a good example of SBIR money helping a new company market its products.

According to Ellen Campbell, NECi vice-president, NECi sells its easy-to-use nitrate test kits for environmental testing and agriculture throughout the US. NECi's enzyme-based nitrate analysis method can be used in everything ranging from testing home well water to automated nitrate analysis in the lab. In addition, their products for very accurate nitrate testing in laboratories are sold internationally.

NECi also recently received a new $90,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture's SBIR program for developing a greener, enzyme-based method for detection of phosphate.

"Our agricultural customers have told us that they are more likely to test their soil and runoff if they can check nitrate and phosphate at the same time," Ellen Campbell explained.

In addition, since part of the company's development funds came from the SBIR program, the Campbells are able to sell their products at a better price.

"The SBIR program has been the key to our survival and our ability to remain in the UP," Ellen Campbell said. "Our company is pioneering the use of purified enzymes for analytical chemistry. Many lab tests require the use of hazardous or toxic chemicals. We are working to replace these chemical methods with enzyme-based methods. This is a new concept -- enzyme-based methods are rarely used outside the medical lab."

Along with many local business owners, representatives of departments at Michigan Technological University, many of whom are KEDA members, attended the meeting with Sen. Levin.

After the meeting, Sarah Green, chair of Michigan Tech's Department of Chemistry, spoke to Sen. Levin about her concern that the Senate pass the climate bill.

"He said he agrees it's important," Green said.

Green noted her disappointment in the present energy bill, which, Levin told her, has a chance to pass in the Senate.

"It's going to take pieces of the original climate bill and call it the energy bill," she said. "At this point any bill that makes steps toward reducing our carbon footprint is a step forward. That bill has many good elements, but Levin (and others) say only some parts may still come to the floor this year. Nobody yet knows what parts it will contain. They are calling it an 'energy bill' instead of 'clean energy jobs.'"

Green added she believes the Senate needs to pass some version of the House bill.

"They haven't even taken it up, so I don't know if it has a number yet," Green noted. "It's known as the 'clean energy jobs bill.'"*

Green said she also spoke with Levin about standards for vehicle emission. Levin's view, she noted, is that states (like California) shouldn't be allowed to set higher standards than a national federal standard for vehicle emissions.

Other issues

Since the press was not allowed at the meeting but only given the final 15 minutes to interview Sen. Levin, Keweenaw Now asked him about two issues -- Afghanistan and Kennecott-Rio Tinto's sulfide mine.

Sen. Levin said he made a reference to Afghanistan in his talk at the KEDA meeting, but didn't talk about it in detail to the group.

Asked whether he thought the U.S. would have to accept the Taliban having a role in the Afghan government at the expense of human rights, Levin replied that the Taliban is very unpopular and can be defeated.

"They (the Taliban) can be defeated, but they can only be defeated by the Afghan people and their army, which has got a lot of respect," Levin said, "and I believe our mission should be to build up that army -- to transition responsibility for Afghan security to the Afghan Army. They've got to take responsibility for their security. They have the respect of the people ... They're fighters. The people hate the Taliban, so if you put those ingredients together they can defeat the Taliban. It's got to be our supporting their effort. It can't be our being in the lead."**

On the mining issue, Sen. Levin said he wasn't very familiar with the Eagle Project mine; however, his Upper Peninsula Regional Representative Amy Berglund told Keweenaw Now Levin's staff is aware of Rio Tinto-Kennecott and other mining companies now active in the Upper Peninsula. She said they are open to receiving information on the mining from concerned citizens.

*See the Web site ClimateProgress.org for more information on the "energy bill."

** See our April 3, 2010, article, "Local soldier describes humanitarian mission in Afghanistan."

Mural by Hancock artist, Afghanistan veteran, to be unveiled Sept. 2

HANCOCK -- Finlandia University Graphic Design/Illustration sophomore Dominic Fredianelli, a National Guard Veteran returned recently from Afghanistan, has brought an urban art form to Hancock -- in a very big way.

Detail of Dominic Fredianelli’s 12 x 120-foot mural, which he has painted on a south-facing exterior wall of the Finlandia University Jutila Center campus. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

His 12-foot by 100-foot painting -- a chronicle of the first 24 years of Fredianelli’s life -- will be unveiled at a reception for Fredianelli at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, outdoors near the south-facing side of Finlandia’s Jutila Center campus. The public is invited and refreshments will be served.

Heather Courtney, originally from Houghton and now a reporter for an NPR (National Public Radio) station in Texas, will film the painting’s unveiling.

Since 2007 Courtney has been filming a documentary that follows Fredianelli and several of his friends and fellow soldiers, all them in the 1431st Engineer Company of the National Guard, Calumet, Mich. Each of the young men graduated from Hancock High School in 2005; all were deployed to Afghanistan in 2009; and all have now returned to the Upper Peninsula .

It was a progression of smaller events that led to the creation of the large mural. In response to his desire to work on an independent project, Fredianelli’s academic advisor, Studio Arts professor Yueh-mei Cheng, set him up in a studio at the Jutila Center, where he began to create a large mixed-media oil painting on canvas.

"I designed this special project for Dominic, instead of giving him the regular class assignment, as he needed some way to freely express the emotions he accumulated when he was in Afghanistan," said Cheng. "Making art can be therapeutic. The purpose of the project is for Dominic to release emotions from the impact of war, deaths, and nightmares."

This is not Fredianelli’s first try at creating an outdoor mural, but the current project is the largest so far. On four panels, he has depicted -- in reverse order, if viewing the painting from left to right -- his personal history as a soldier and young man, as a teenager and as a small boy.

One might not expect a young man under 30 to have experienced enough to fill 1,200 square feet, but Fredianelli is an exception.

Dominic Fredianelli works on his 12 x 120-foot mural, which he has painted on a south-facing exterior wall of the Finlandia University Jutila Center campus.

The four-panel mural includes a 12-foot self-portrait of Fredianelli the soldier, a 10-foot image of an Afghani civilian, and two dominant words: Soldier and Change. Other images include a river that he describes as one of the most beautiful places he encountered in Afghanistan, the Twin Towers, a mosque, a church and the Quincy Mine Hoist.

Fredianelli says that some of the meanings the painting may convey to the viewer are deliberate on his part, while others "just happened" as part of the creative sketching and painting process.

Fredianelli began pursuing a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) at Finlandia in fall 2007. After two semesters of study, his National Guard Unit was deployed. He returned to the U.S. in 2009 and then completed an automotive technician certificate in Wyoming. After a few months in Marquette, Mich., he returned to his home town and resumed his BFA studies at Finlandia.

Fredianelli, along with 30 additional U.S. armed services veterans, is attending Finlandia with the assistance of the GI Bill and other veterans’ programs. He is the son of Sharon and Brian Fredianelli of Hancock.

For additional information, please contact Lisa Broemer at 487-7375, or e-mail lisa.broemer@finlandia.edu.

Pamela Kotila exhibits comics at Reflection Gallery through Sept. 30

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Reflection Gallery, Hancock, is hosting an exhibit of comic illustrations by Pamela Kotila through Sept. 30, 2010.

The exhibit, titled Pandora! Volume 1, displays the first volume in a series of books in which Kotila has rethought and revamped her original Pandora comics, a page-by-page webcomic she created in 2003.

An image from Pamela Kotila’s Pandora comic series. (Image courtesy Finlandia University)

An opening reception and artist talk will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, at the Reflection Gallery in the Jutila Center. The reception is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

Kotila says she has wanted to tackle this project for many years, but felt it was important to continue the original storyline rather than spend time redoing what was already done. She has long been waiting for the right opportunity to lessen the clutter and add some scenery to the original Pandora illustrations. She says an advanced illustration class she completed at Finlandia in fall 2009, as well as her evolving talent for creating comics, gave her the motivation and enhanced skills to revisit the design of the Pandora comics.

"My talent for comics was increasing," Kotila explains. "I had also started drawing backgrounds. Finally, the time was right to open the box."

The artist Pamela Kotila. (Photo courtesy Pamela Kotila)

In using the first Pandora as a guide, Kotila assures fans of the original story that they will find "a lot of familiarity in this work, both in the story and the characters."

She adds that the story has been filtered, condensed, and sometimes expanded to create a smoother reading experience.

"I now have the advantage of using characters I understand, rather than characters I was working to understand," Kotila explains. "I have also chosen to change the style of the panels so that the story flows page to page, rather than depicting one joke or single situation per page."

Kotila notes she has chosen to work in a comedic medium because comedy is an excellent tool for change.

A Finlandia University alumna, Kotila completed a bachelor of fine arts at Finlandia University in 2010. She served as content and copy editor of Finlandia’s student newspaper, The Roar, throughout her college career.

The Reflection Gallery is located on the second level of Finlandia’s Jutila Center campus, Hancock.

For additional information, please contact Yueh-mei Cheng, professor of studio arts, at 906-487-7375 or e-mail FinlandiaReflectionGallery@gmail.com.

Blair Orr receives Michigan Tech Distinguished Teaching Award

By Alanna Knapp of Tech Today

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech University Professor Blair Orr of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science has received the 2010 Distinguished Teaching Award in the associate professor/professor category. He is singled out especially for directing Michigan Tech's Peace Corps Master's International Program, which allows students to combine two years of Peace Corps service with a graduate degree program. Involving eight disciplines, Michigan Tech has the largest number of Master's International programs nationwide at one university.

Orr earned a PhD in Forestry Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and came to Michigan Tech in 1992.

From the start, he taught economics and began the University's first Master's International program, forestry, in 1995. He became the director of all eight programs in 2006.

"Blair brings to the University his creativity, his time, a passion for international programs, and, most importantly, a commitment to students' success," said Dean Margaret Gale.

Students returning from the field tell Gale that they are well-prepared for their service.

"They are confident," she said, "and, with Blair's guidance and influence, prepared for service abroad." Read more of this article by Alanna Knapp, Tech Today student editor ...

Editor's Note: See also our March 31, 2010, article "Peace Corps lauds Michigan Tech, Portage Health for Master's International programs," about the visit of Eric Goldman, Peace Corps Masters International national manager, and the awards he presented to Blair Orr and to Portage Health.

Copper Country offers outdoor recreation, adventure, natural beauty

By Eric Johnson*

Clear Lake is one of three lakes that can be found in the Emily Lake Camping Area near Toivola. (Photo © Ben Cottrill and courtesy Eric Johnson)

HOUGHTON -- Summertime in the Copper Country stretches into September, providing many opportunities for outdoor recreation and adventure. Small towns like Houghton, which author Norman Crampton listed in his book The 100 Best Small Towns in America, dot the area, drawing in tourists from around the globe. Numerous state parks, along with state and federally owned forests, allow for camping and hiking. There is also easy access to Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.

"I can think of over twenty campsites, beaches and rivers off the top of my head that I’ve been to here," said Andrew Brucki, a Michigan Tech student who enjoys going on wilderness excursions. "If you have a car, you can get to most of these places within an hour."

BEACHES

Recent warm temperatures have made the lake more swimable than ever. Don't forget your bathing suit and beach towel if you plan to visit the Copper Country this coming Labor Day weekend. If you're already here, try a beach you haven't yet visited. The following locations are commonly visited by local citizens and Michigan Tech students:

Breakers is a black sand beach on Lake Superior that is approximately 10 miles northwest of Houghton on County Road S-553, south of the Portage. Visitors can walk along the rocky breakers to the lighthouse, watch the sun set, and make a bonfire.

McLain State Park is also on Lake Superior, located on the west side of the Keweenaw Peninsula, approximately 11 miles northwest of Houghton on M-203. It has been named by Reader’s Digest as one of the top beaches in the United States. A small daily fee is needed to get into the park, featuring two miles of beach, a lighthouse, and opportunities for fishing, windsurfing, and hunting.

Gay Beach is approximately 25 miles northeast of Houghton, located on the eastern side of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The road to the beach may or may not be blocked off by a gate, so visitors should be prepared to park and walk to get in to the beach.

CAMPSITES

The Copper Country has much to offer in terms of campsites, both rustic and modern.

"Many of these sites cost money, but most are pretty cheap," said Lydia Patch, a Michigan Tech student and member of the Outdoor Adventure Program. "Some of the campsites have really cool histories, too, like Fort Wilkins State Park. They do reenactments there of life in the 1800s."

Campers who prefer rustic camping need to be aware of the hazards of leaving society behind.

"Many of these locations are very remote and are not recommended for first-time campers," said Tyler Losinski, also a Michigan Tech student and member of the Outdoor Adventure Program. "Visitors are encouraged to bring maps, compasses, and a GPS."

Lake Perrault is approximately 13 miles southwest of Houghton. It is a designated trout lake, with brook trout being the main catch. Though it used to be a roadside park, Lake Perrault is now largely abandoned -- perfect for those wishing to get away from their busy lives for a day or two.

Agate Beach Campground is approximately 22 miles west of Houghton and is located on Lake Superior. The camping fee is $15 per night. Agate Beach is well-suited for rock collecting, swimming, kayaking, or canoeing.

Twin Lakes State Park is approximately 26 miles southwest of Houghton near Toivola, Mich. There is a $16 - $22 camping fee per night, but visitors have access to a volleyball court as well as a beach. Campers wishing to head to the Emily Lake Camping Area must first obtain a back country permit from Twin Lakes State Park.

Emily Lake Camping Area is approximately 27 miles southwest of Houghton near Toivola and includes Emily Lake, Pike Lake, and Clear Lake. There is no charge for camping at any of the three lakes, though a backcountry permit is required. Permits can be obtained from Twin Lakes State Park.

Fort Wilkins State Park is located approximately 47 miles northeast of Houghton on US-41 near Copper Harbor. The campground has running water, a sanitation station, electricity and a boat launch. Fort Wilkins State Park also houses Fort Wilkins itself, a 19th century military post and lighthouse complex that has been well-preserved. Visitors are able to witness re-enactments of life in the 1840s at the fort.

Lake Fanny Hooe Campground, as the name suggests, is located near Lake Fanny Hooe, 49 miles northeast of Houghton. One site with electricity and water costs $28 per night. Campers willing to pay $40 per night will also receive sewer and cable television.

Schlatter Lake is located at the very tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, 56 miles northeast of Houghton. Visitors are recommended to use a vehicle with four-wheel drive to reach Schlatter Lake due to the rocky road. A unique fact about Schlatter Lake is that a rowboat has been donated to the lake and is available to the public free of charge to use whenever they please.

RIVERS TO CANOE OR KAYAK

For people who like water but not necessarily camping, the Keweenaw offers plenty of rivers for kayaking or canoeing.

The Sturgeon River ranges from 10 to 48 miles south of Houghton. Certain parts of the river are appropriate for beginners, but the Sturgeon River Gorge can be dangerous in the spring due to an influx of water from the melting snow.

Intermediate canoeists may prefer the Ontonagon River, which is approximately 50 miles southwest of Houghton.

WATERFALLS

In addition to rivers, several waterfalls are located throughout the Copper Country, all of which are free to visit.

"If you haven’t been to the waterfalls yet, you should," said Kevin Merritt, a Michigan Tech student and outdoor enthusiast. "They’re close [to Michigan Tech] and are perfect for taking pictures or just to walk by."

Hungarian Falls is only 10 miles northeast of Houghton near Hubbell. There are the upper falls and lower falls, which are both accessible by different roads. Scenic trails wind along the falls, affording visitors a spectacular view of the water.

Jacob’s Falls is located approximately 32 miles north of Houghton near Eagle River. The waterfall is fairly small, but it is located right next to the Jampot, where monks make and sell their own jam and baked goods.

Canyon Falls is located approximately 42 miles south of Houghton near L’Anse. Canyon Falls is known for its cliff jumping, which Michigan Tech students regularly do. The falls are scenic, and there are trails to hike as well.

Manganese Falls is located 48 miles northeast of Houghton near Copper Harbor. Visitors are able to view the falls from bridges as well as swim in pools formed by rocks in the river.

The Keweenaw Peninsula is a scenic area of the United States rich with opportunities for outdoor adventure and exploration. Residents of the Copper Country, along with visitors, are encouraged to explore their surroundings and better enjoy the Copper Country.

"It doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you get outside and get active," said Losinski. Andrew Brucki agrees.

"I would have never known how cool this area was if I just stayed on campus," said Brucki. "As soon as I started exploring the area, I started liking Tech a lot more."

*Editor's Notes: Visiting reporter Eric Johnson wrote this article as part of his work in David Clanaugh's summer journalism class at Michigan Tech University. This is Johnson's second article for Keweenaw Now. See also his Aug. 9 article, "Summer haying season challenges local farmers."

For information on Michigan Tech's Outdoor Adventure Program, visit their Web site.

Musical variety show to celebrate ethnic roots at Keweenaw Heritage Center Aug. 30

CALUMET -- Celebrating Keweenaw’s Musical Roots, a variety show with an ethnic theme, will be presented at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Aug. 30, at the Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne’s (corner of 5th and Scott Streets) in Calumet.

Performers will include the following:

* Susan Rokicki, piano and Robin Oye, flute/recorder -- Norwegian tunes
* Luke Lussenden, guitar and vocal -- German folk song
* Emma and Carrie Dlutkowski, fiddles -- Irish, Finnish and French-Canadian tunes
* Mark Oliver, vocal -- Irish and Irish-American songs
* David Bezotte and Evan Dixon, guitar and vocal -- French-Canadian songs
* John and Tom Katalin, accordion, guitar, vocal -- Croatian dance tunes
* Tom Katalin, guitar and vocal, singing an original composition written as a tribute to his grandparents.

The audience will have opportunities to sing along, and refreshments from the Conglomerate Café will be available for purchase following the performance. A free-will offering will be taken to benefit the Keweenaw Heritage Center’s accessibility project.