Guest article: Mining industry has big plans for western UP and beyond

By Steve Garske*

The rush is on for the copper, silver, nickel, and other hard-rock minerals of the Lake Superior region, and especially Michigan's Upper Peninsula. One of the latest arrivals to the UP is the recently formed Highland Copper Company, Inc. This month geologist and Highland Vice President for Exploration Dr. Ross Grunwald has been on tour, giving a detailed powerpoint presentation of the company's activities and plans in Ontonagon, Ironwood, Calumet and Houghton.

Ross Grunwald points out Keweenaw ore deposits during Highland Copper's presentation at their Jan. 15, 2014, community information meeting in Calumet. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Highland Copper Company Inc. is a Canadian company based in Longueuil, Quebec. Along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Keweenaw Copper Company, the company is "focused on exploring and developing copper projects within the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A." Incorporated about two and a half years ago, they now have 21 full-time employees. They are currently exploring four deposits -- three in the Keweenaw Peninsula and another near Bald Mountain, north of Ironwood near Lake Superior. They are also in the process of buying the White Pine facility and mineral rights from Copper Range Co., a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals LLC of Canada. Drilling is being done at all these sites. As noted in a Jan. 10, 2014, Daily Globe story, the drilling at Bald Mountain was not generally known until Grunwald mentioned it at the Ironwood meeting.

Grunwald explained that at this point at least, the Highland (and Keweenaw) Copper Companies are mining exploration and development companies, not mining companies. If the prospects turn out to be economically viable, they would probably be sold to other companies that would mine them. The company provided a fact sheet with a map of their projects. Their extensive website has quite a bit of information about the company, including the results of drilling done so far.

Grunwald and his partners are not the only ones that believe there's money to be made from these prospects. Highland has been wildly successful in raising investor funds, bringing in some $25 million since Sept. 30th in a stock offering of 43 cents per share. The money will go to continued exploration, as well as the purchase of the White Pine mine. Grunwald stated that if and when White Pine is reopened, a new underground mine would be constructed to access the extensive copper deposits northeast of the present mine. The tailings could be backfilled into the old, water-filled mine. While smelting would not be done at White Pine, some concentrating of copper ore could be done there using staged flotation reactor technology. Meanwhile the company's stated intent is to continue to explore for copper and other minerals throughout the Keweenaw region.

In their online "Corporate Presentation," the company notes that Michigan has a favorable political climate for mining. Their list of "favorables" includes support from the Governor and local officials, new laws encouraging mining and making Michigan a "right to work" state, and a "supportive" Michigan Department of Environment Quality staff. They state that local citizens favor development but admit that some "have questions."

When asked at the Ironwood presentation whether Highland Copper Company had any financial ties to billionaire Chris Cline of Florida, Cline's GTac corporation, or the Houston-based Natural Resource Partners (NRP), in which Cline is a major investor, Grunwald gave a flat-out "No." A bit of online research reveals a much more complicated picture, though.

As mentioned in several places on their website, Highland has entered into a joint venture partnership with an entity called Bowie Resource Partners LLC (BRP LLC). BRP LLC is a joint venture formed in June 2010 between Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NRP) and International Paper (IP). Both companies are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. According to their website, BRP owned approximately 8.8 million mineral acres in 29 states, including approximately 60,000 gross acres of copper rights in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as of 2011. Once mainly invested in coal, BRP's holdings now include everything from oil, gas, and mineral rights to water rights and cell tower placement rights.

According to page 71 of NRP's 2012 Annual Report, Chris Cline owns 31 percent of NRP. As outlined on NRP's website and their prospectus, NRP is the managing and controlling partner of BRP with a 51 percent interest, with IP controlling the remaining 49 percent. Furthermore, oilman Russell Gordy of Houston, owner of RGGS Land and Minerals LLC, sits on the NRP board of directors. RGGS owns most of the surface and mineral rights leased/optioned to GTAC in Iron County. BRP owns and manages current mineral leases, and manages the development of the more than seven million acres of former International Paper land.

Thus Highland has a joint partnership with BRP, which is controlled by NRP, of which Chris Cline (owner of GTac) is a major shareholder.

There can be little doubt that the descent of multiple mining companies on the UP and states west is a well-planned, well-funded effort by incredibly wealthy investors to turn the Lake Superior region into a major industrial and resource extraction zone, similar to the Appalachians of West Virginia (where Cline got his start in the coal industry). The question is whether the citizens of the region will let them.

(For more on the financial connections between Cline, GTac and NRP, check out the interesting and well researched article "Circles of Friends -- Spheres of Influence," by Woodsperson, posted Dec. 10, 2013.)

*Editor's Note: Guest author Steve Garske is a resident of the Western Upper Peninsula. He attended Highland Copper's Jan. 9, 2014, community information meeting in Ironwood. Watch for our coverage of Highland's Calumet (Jan. 15) and Houghton (Jan. 16) meetings -- coming soon.

Herbalists Without Borders Keweenaw Chapter to offer Tea and Idea Exchange Jan. 23 at Portage Library

[Editor's Note: Update, Jan. 23: The following event has been cancelled for today, Thursday, Jan. 23, since schools and the Portage Library are closed because of extremely cold temperatures. The event has been re-scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30, same time and place indicated below.]

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host the Keweenaw Chapter of Herbalists Without Borders for a Tea and Idea Exchange from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23.

Herbalists Without Borders (HWB) Keweenaw Chapter invites interested persons to meet and exchange ideas with them TOMORROW, Thursday, Jan. 23, at Portage Lake District Library. (Herbalists Without Borders photos courtesy HWB Keweenaw chapter.)

Herbalists Without Borders coordinator Jess Juntunen invites participants to bring their favorite herbal tea to share (and a mug if you have one) and relax while learning about the organization and its local and worldwide projects. Participants are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas about what kinds of work they would like to see the group involved in.

"If you don't have a tea or mug, don't worry, come as you are," says Juntunen. "Drop in for part, or all, of our session. Your presence is all that is required. Be involved at the level that suits you, whether that is in the form of your valuable input, satisfying personal curiosity, idea building, or becoming engaged as a volunteer or organizer."

Herbalists Without Borders (HWB) is an international network of herbalists, traditional healers, complementary alternative medicine practitioners, botanical product makers and trades people, herb growers, farmers, ecologists, students, humanitarian aid workers and others who are interested in the vital role of plants in primary health care, sustainable agriculture, trade, and ecological preservation.

HWB Keweenaw is currently serving Houghton and Keweenaw Counties. This chapter operates under the umbrella of the National and International Nonprofit Herbalists Without Borders doing unique projects in a variety of scopes focused on social justice with a down-to-the-ground, grassroots structure.

To learn more contact Jess Juntunen, chapter coordinator, at jjuntune@mtu.edu or call  (906) 231-0755.

All library programs are free, and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Oil addiction vs. alternative energy to be discussed with Jan. 21 presentation, Jan. 23 Green Film at Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON -- Two events concerning oil addiction and alternative energy will take place at Michigan Tech this week.

TODAY, Tuesday, Jan. 21: Presentation on Affordable Alternative Energy

John Hofmeister will give a presentation on affordable energy alternatives in a nation of people addicted to oil from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. TODAY, Tuesday, Jan. 21, in EERC 508 on the Michigan Tech campus. Hofmeister is the founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy, former president of Shell Oil Company and the author of the book Why We Hate The Oil Companies: Straight Talk from an Energy Insider.

The presentation will be via a live video feed from Northern Michigan University and will offer the opportunity to ask questions of the speaker. The event is co-hosted by the School of Business and Economics, Chemical Engineering and the Sustainable Futures Institute.

Thursday, Jan. 23: Green Film Series: Fuel

The Green Film Series will present the documentary film Fuel from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, in Atrium and G002, Hesterberg Hall, Michigan Tech Forestry Building. The 112-minute film will be followed by discussion and refreshments -- coffee and dessert. The event is FREE, with a suggested donation of $3.

In this documentary, director Josh Tickell takes viewers along on his 11-year journey around the world to find solutions to America's addiction to oil. A shrinking economy, a failing auto industry, rampant unemployment, an out-of-control national debt, and an insatiable demand for energy weigh heavily on all of us. Fuel shows us the way out of the mess we're in by explaining how to replace every drop of oil we now use, while creating green jobs and keeping our money here at home. The film never dwells on the negative, but instead shows us the easy solutions already within our reach.

This event is co-sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Keweenaw Land Trust, and Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, with funding from the Keweenaw Community Foundation.

For more information call Joan Chadde at 906-487-3341.

200+ Demand: Repeal of Wisconsin’s Unjust Mining Law

By Barbara With
Posted Jan. 19, 2014, on Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative
Reprinted in part with permission

Chris Cline, owner of Gogebic Taconite (GTac), the company hoping to develop an open-pit iron mine in the Penokee Hills of northern Wisconsin. Cline’s net worth as of 2012 was $1.5 billion. As it turns out, a member of the West Virginia legislature is vice president for business development for Natural Resource Partners (NRP), the company that Chris Cline owns a 31 percent interest in; and Russell Gordy, owner of RGGS minerals, the company that owns most of the mineral rights lease-optioned to GTAC in Iron County, is on the board of directors. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons.)

Last week, 300,000 West Virginians lost their water. Hundreds of people went to emergency rooms, which also did not have water. A state of emergency has been declared. All because of "clean" coal.

The toxin responsible was methylcyclohexanol, used for washing coal and one of the chemicals that killed the Love Canal, site of the worst chemical disaster in U.S. history. West Virginia mining companies assured residents that their operations are safe and clean. The truth is just the opposite. "It’s caused us more problems than you could ever imagine," said Danny Jones, mayor of Charleston, the state’s capital. "It’s a prison from which we would like to be released."

West Virginia’s Chris Cline, King Coal himself, owns Gogebic Taconite (GTac), the mining company that wrote Wisconsin’s new mining law and wants to set up shop in northern Wisconsin. GTac has stated over and over that the new law protects the environment. Like the lies of King Coal, the lies of iron ore mining in Northern Wisconsin have come home to roost. ...

Click here to read the rest of this article, which includes names of concerned citizens calling for the REPEAL of Act 1, Wisconsin’s unjust ferrous mining law, and Act 118, the wetlands destruction law.

Michigan Tech to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 20-22

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech's Center for Diversity and Inclusion announces the 25th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week Celebration. Events will be held throughout campus through Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014.

Monday, Jan. 20: Tech students and staff will be volunteering at Houghton Elementary and Barkell Elementary in Hancock, reading to the students about the life and legacy of Dr. King.

At 6 p.m. Monday evening, in the MUB Ballroom, the 25th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet will be held. Max Seel, Michigan Tech provost and vice president of academic affairs, will deliver a keynote address. Momentum Jazz Trio will perform. Tickets for this event are free and can be picked up at the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in the Hamar House.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: At 4 p.m. in Room 201 of the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) join Join Michigan Tech and Finlandia University faculty, staff and students for "Where have we been? Where are we going?" -- a thoughtful social justice and equity discussion. Refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Jan. 22: At 7 p.m. in Fisher 135, KING: A Filmed Record will be shown. This documentary film follows Dr. King from 1955 to 1968 in his rise from regional activist to world-renowned leader of the Civil Rights movement. Admission and concessions are free.

MTEC Smart Zone, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, Rep. Dianda respond to Gov. Snyder's State of the State address

HOUGHTON -- New developments at MTEC SmartZone were among key issues Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder discussed in his fourth State of the State address in Lansing Thursday evening, Jan. 16. However, Snyder's speech did not make up for his failed environmental and social policies, according to some Michigan leaders.

Snyder talked about MTEC SmartZone’s collaboration with Michigan Technological University, entrepreneurs and local governments to foster economic success in the Upper Peninsula. That collaboration has continued to thrive for more than a decade, leading to new developments and opportunities for job creation across the Upper Peninsula.

"We have a situation where they are partnering with Northern Michigan University and Marquette. So we are bringing communities together and bringing synergy and power. So I want to complement those particular communities and those universities in the U.P. for their outstanding work," Gov. Snyder said in his address Thursday.

Since 2003, MTEC SmartZone has proven great success for the cities of Houghton and Hancock, creating more than 400 high-tech jobs and assisting over 47 entrepreneur technology start-ups by providing entrepreneurs with training and resource programs. Now, MTEC SmartZone is reaching out to the Marquette area to create the same successes for that economy. Both Marquette and Houghton-Hancock officials are looking to expand high-tech job creation with the development of a satellite business incubator in Marquette.

State Representative Scott Dianda (D-Calumet) said, "This collaboration brings so many positive opportunities to the Upper Peninsula. MTEC SmartZone has garnered statewide respect for their high-tech job creation and economic development. I’ve visited many SmartZones and we’ve got the best."

The mission of MTEC SmartZone is accelerating high-tech business growth to build a prosperous regional economy.*

MTEC SmartZone board member Dan Webber said, "It has become time for a more regional approach to leveraging the talents along the 'Technology Shore' between Houghton-Hancock and Marquette, supporting economic sustainability for the entire Upper Peninsula. Given the always-limited resources, we must work together to advance the best technologies that promote employment opportunities for our existing communities and the State of Michigan as a whole."

Sierra Club Michigan: Gov. Snyder needs to plan for clean energy

While the Governor praised the Smart Zone, he has not done enough for renewable energy in Michigan according a Sierra Club Michigan Chapter spokesperson.

"Last night, in his State of the State address, Governor Snyder spoke briefly about a framework for Michigan's energy policy," writes Mike Berkowitz, legislative and political director of the Sierra Club's Michigan Chapter. "Again, he failed to lay out a timeline to move us forward and lacked specific policy proposals for Michigan's energy policy. With the clock ticking, it's time for Governor Snyder to put forward a concrete proposal to update Michigan's renewable energy and energy efficiency standards."

In an email asking supporters to write to the Governor about stronger clean energy policies, Berkowitz noted, "Expanding renewable energy in Michigan is an opportunity to create jobs, spark investment in the state, rein in the increasingly high cost of electricity, improve public health, and reduce air and water pollution from burning dirty fossil fuels for power. Energy efficiency is the cleanest and cheapest way to meet our energy needs. By saving energy, we're cutting demand for dirty energy sources like coal, leading to cleaner air, while creating local jobs right here in Michigan."

Just before the Governor's State of the State speech, the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter released its first-ever gubernatorial Scorecard, which evaluates Rick Snyder’s performance on energy, environment, good government and related issues. Michigan’s chief executive got a failing grade, scoring 25 percent on the most important environmental actions taken during his first three years in office.**

State Rep. Dianda responds to State of the State Address

While State Rep. Scott Dianda agreed with the Governor's praise of the Smart Zone, he also noted the speech only promised more of the same failed policies that have yet to create jobs for Michigan families or deliver the best possible education to our students.

"During my time in the Legislature, I‘ve seen people struggle under Republican policies," Dianda said. "We need more funding for our classrooms, we need job opportunities that will build the middle class, and we need to be taking care of our seniors. The retirement tax took money out of seniors’ pockets and sent it to Lansing, and now they have less to spend at our fish fries and small businesses. That’s why I introduced a bill this week to repeal the new tax on retirement."***

Families face smaller tax refunds, or no refunds at all, because of the loss of tax credits and deductions including the child tax deduction and a severely reduced Earned Income Tax Credit, Dianda noted.

Women face greater economic struggles thanks to Republican approval of a new law making basic health care more costly.

Republicans continue to push gimmicks to address education including cyber schools and other entities that lack accountability and have yet to show any improvements.

"My fellow Democratic House colleagues and I have plans to bring relief to the Michiganders who need it," said Dianda. "I’ve listened to residents from my district, and I know what the U.P. needs to recover. We need to increase education funding and bring tax relief to the hard-working families who deserve it. Any budget surplus we have to work with should go toward these efforts."

Editor's Notes:

* Learn more about the MTEC Smart Zone at www.mtecsz.com.

** Click here to read more about Sierra Club Michigan's Scorecard for Gov. Snyder.

*** See our Jan. 14, 2014, article, "Rep. Dianda introduces bill to repeal state pension tax."

NOSOTROS to host Latin dance, salsa lessons Jan. 18

 Poster courtesy NOSOTROS.

HOUGHTON -- NOSOTROS Latin student organization at Michigan Tech will host a Latin dance from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., preceded by free salsa lessons from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., TOMORROW, Saturday, Jan. 18, in MUB Ballroom A.

Learn how to dance to Latin music and find new friends. All levels and no partner needed. Free and open to the public.

For more information email salian@mtu.edu.

Rozsa Gallery presents "Landscape: A Memorial Artifact," by Leopoldo Cuspinera Madrigal, opening Jan. 17

Detail from poster announcing the new exhibit in the Rozsa Gallery at Michigan Tech. (Photo courtesy Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts)

HOUGHTON -- The Rozsa Gallery welcomes artist Leopoldo Cuspinera Madrigal, in an exhibition of beautiful paintings on paper that evoke dreamlike landscapes and shadowed, industrial vistas. Titled "Landscape: A Memorial Artifact," Madrigal’s show opens with a reception in the Rozsa Gallery from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Friday, Jan. 17.

The exhibition will run through Saturday, Feb. 16, 2014, and is free and open to the public.

According to Madrigal, "Landscape is communicated to humans personally, through every sense. Its speech goes beyond time and space, but also tells about the past, present, and future through marks, footprints, or injuries. Landscape is related to humans in multiple ways: It has been the tangible basis for our activities and the intangible basis for our lives. Human lives find a certain logic and meaning from memory. Landscape is an inexhaustible source of memory, reminding us that the present is the result of the past and that the future depends largely on the marks, footprints, or injuries we leave today embodied on this immense memorial artifact -- the landscape."

Rozsa gallery hours are M-F, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. For more details, please visit the Rozsa Center Web site.

Finlandia Gallery exhibiting International School of Art and Design alumni art Jan. 16 - Feb. 19

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University International School of Art and Design (ISAD) will present an alumni exhibit at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, from Jan. 16 to Feb. 19, 2014.

An opening reception for the artists will take place at the gallery from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, Jan. 16. An artist talk will begin at 7:15 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

"Raven Steals Fire" by Finlandia alumni (’10), D.C. Wilson. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

In the 15 years since the bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree program began at Finlandia University, 127 students have graduated in five concentration areas: Ceramic Design, Fiber Arts/Fashion Design, Integrated Design, Graphic Design, and Studio Arts.

The Alumni 2014 exhibit spotlights the current work of 25 Finlandia BFA graduates.

"Our graduates have moved to all parts of the world to pursue their careers in art," notes Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler. "We have alumni living as far away as Japan and as close as Hancock. It is wonderful to see where their life journeys have taken them."

Ceramic work by Kenyon Hansen, Finlandia alumni (’05).

Cait Spera (’13) is currently living in Portland, Oregon, where she works as a graphic designer at Healer's PetCare, and is also an instructor and manager at the local art center, Collage.

Casey Zablocki (’08) is currently living in Missoula, Montana, working as the wood fire resident at the Clay Studio of Missoula. He will spend the next two years teaching classes and firing the Anagama kiln.

Emily Pierce (‘08) has created her own line of clothing and screen-printed items. Her collection can be viewed at FernCreations.etsy.com.

Colleen Carroll (’09) continues to create and sell her ceramic work, all while working fulltime at Michigan Tech University. Her ceramic piece "Spiderbaby" was recently featured in the movie, I Filmed Your Death.

Sarah Jalkanen (‘13 ) is currently working for the local apparel company NineOSix Enterprises and will soon open an online shop where her handmade and personally designed bags, accessories, and designs will be for sale.

Eileen Sunquist (’12) is interested in the oral traditions of our ancestors, and how these stories shared for entertainment and instruction reveal important cross-cultural similarities. Her interest in finding and sharing the common beliefs of early people and emphasizing the similarities between cultures, led her to create "Muddi Mekko," an African Mudcloth runo-dress intended to protect the woman who wears it and "Pandoran," a sculpture representing life.

Please join us at the opening reception to learn more about the work of these alumni and more. Additional mediums included in the Alumni Exhibit 2014 include ceramic design, mixed media, fashion design, painting, drawing, graphic design and product design.

The Finlandia University International School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibit 2014 will be on display until Feb. 19, 2014.

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.; Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

Club Finndigo to present Finnish film, buffet Jan. 17 at Calumet Theatre

CALUMET -- The annual event heralding Heikenpäivä (midwinter celebration) is January's Club Finndigo (normally Club Indigo), which features a Finnish classic film, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Calumet Theatre.

Backwood Philosopher has been acclaimed as more than just another bit of regional fluff (though the backdrop of the country's Easter forests and lakes is remarkable by itself). It is beautiful, satirical, thoughtful, and ultimately a grand way to start the Heikenpäivä week.

The movie begins at 7:15 p.m., preceded by a lavish Finnish buffet from Kangas Café at 6 p.m. Cost: buffet and movie, $19. Movie alone, $5. Special discount for kids ten and younger. For the buffet, a call to the theater is necessary at least by Thursday, Jan. 16: 337-2610.

Reminder: Highland Copper/Keweenaw Copper local community meetings to be Jan. 15, 16

CALUMET -- Highland Copper Company Inc. and its subsidiary Keweenaw Copper Co. invite community members to the latest in a series of community information sessions.

The sessions will be held from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. TONIGHT, Wednesday, Jan. 15, at  Calumet High School, Commons Area, and from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. TOMORROW, Wednesday, Jan. 16 at Houghton High School, Multipurpose Room.

The purpose of these sessions will be to update the community on Highland Copper’s proposal to purchase the White Pine Mine as well as other current projects in the western Upper Peninsula.

After the presentation, community members will be encouraged to ask questions and complete a brief survey.

All information presented, in addition to schedules for future information sessions, will be available at Keweenaw Copper’s website, keweenawcopperco.com. See also highlandcopper.com.

Editor's Notes: See also Keweenaw Now's Nov. 27, 2013, article, "Highland Copper Co. to acquire White Pine from Copper Range and continue Keweenaw mining exploration."
Highland Copper has also updated their corporate presentation. Click here for the December 2013 presentation with more details, maps, etc.

DEQ proposes new groundwater discharge permit for Eagle Mine; public hearing to be announced

LANSING -- The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing a new groundwater discharge permit for the Eagle Mine in Marquette County. While this is a required renewal of the permit that was issued nearly five years ago, the new permit will have some changes.

View of the Salmon Trout River. Lundin Mining Corporation, present owner of the Eagle Mine, with permits obtained by former owner Rio Tinto/Kennecott, hopes to mine an ore body below this trout stream for copper and nickel. Treated wastewater is to be discharged into groundwater rather than directly into the surface water of the stream. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

The department prepared the proposed permit after an extensive review of the mine's wastewater treatment system, which began operation in 2011. The new permit includes minor revisions reflecting actual water conditions at the site.

According to Steve Casey, Michigan DEQ Water Resources Division Upper Peninsula District Supervisor, the DEQ has decided to hold a public hearing on the permit "to address public concerns," though the time and place for the hearing are not yet set.

A public comment period on the proposed groundwater discharge permit renewal for the Eagle Mine in Marquette County began on Dec. 3. It has been extended through Dec. 20; but, when the time and place for the hearing are announced, the DEQ will announce a new deadline for public comments, Casey explained.

With the renewed discharge permit, the DEQ is working to address the following local conditions:

• Independent of any activity from the mine, naturally occurring background basicity and concentrations of vanadium in the groundwater exceeded the original permit standards, according to a recent assessment. Revised, site-specific limits for vanadium and pH were established in accordance with the groundwater quality administrative rules. These revised limits account for the naturally occurring conditions.
• A new standard requires monitoring for uranium in the wastewater produced by the mine. If it ever is detected at even a fraction of the safe drinking water standard, the mine must take steps to reduce or eliminate the source of uranium.

"The permit says if they get to five micrograms per liter (of uranium) they have to notify us," Casey said.

Previously, some uranium was discovered in a leak detection sump at the mine, likely originating in rock brought to the mine from another site in the Upper Peninsula. Nearly 70 percent of Upper Peninsula drinking water wells contain detectable levels of uranium. However, the leak detection sump in question produces little water, all of which is treated in the reverse osmosis water treatment plant at the Eagle Mine.*

"It's really clean water," Casey said of the water from that treatment plant.

Additionally, copper and lead levels in one well were higher than the permit allowed on three occasions, but the issue has been resolved. The well was disturbed during construction and has since been reconstructed. In the most recent sample, copper and lead levels were in compliance with the permit.

According to the public notice on this permit, the Eagle Mine proposes to discharge a maximum 504,000 gallons per day (184,000,000 gallons per year) of mine contact water only to the ground and groundwater from their discharge areas located in the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 12, T50N, R29W, Michigamme Township, Marquette County.

Mine contact water consists of mine dewatering water, contact storm water from the main operations area, water from the temporary development rock storage area; with small volumes from the truck wash and the crusher operations.

Public comment on the proposed permit must be received by Jan. 20, 2014, until a new comment deadline is announced.

For more information regarding the proposed permit (permit number GW1810162) or procedures for providing comment or requesting the public hearing, contact the DEQ's Water Resources Division, Permits Section at P.O. Box 30458 in Lansing or at 517-284-5570.

Copies of the permit can be viewed at the Water Resources Division in the Upper Peninsula District Office, 1504 W. Washington St. in Marquette. Contact them by phone at 906-228-4853 or by fax at 906-228-4939.**

Editor's Notes:

* Click here to read our Aug. 4, 2012, article on the water treatment plant at the Eagle Mine.

** The proposed groundwater discharge permit was previously available on line. Keweenaw Now is requesting that the DEQ make it available again on their Web site for the extended comment period.

Rep. Dianda introduces bill to repeal state pension tax

LANSING –- On Jan. 13 State Representative Scott Dianda (D-Calumet) introduced House Bill 5219 calling for the repeal of the state's new pension tax. The pension tax was voted into law by the Republican-led Legislature in 2011 and was first felt by seniors filing their Michigan tax returns last year.

"Punishing seniors who are already struggling to make ends meet is wrong," Dianda said. "The pension tax has made life difficult for a lot of seniors in the U.P. who have worked hard their whole lives and are now surviving off a fixed income. I will do everything in my power to see that it’s repealed."

Under the current Republican-backed law, the tax treatment of retirement income is largely based on the age of the taxpayer and affects anyone who was born in or after 1946. For married taxpayers, retirement/pension deductions are based on the oldest spouse. This new tax is being deducted from pension and retirement benefit distributions, including distributions from pensions, IRAs, annuities, profit-sharing, stock bonuses and any other deferred compensation plan or certain life insurance contracts issued by life insurance companies.

"I take my job seriously, and when a concern is brought to my attention I make sure something is done about it," said Dianda. "I will not give up urging my colleagues to pass this bill, which would restore tax fairness to Michigan’s seniors."

Celebrate Chinese New Year Jan. 18 at Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON -- Chinese New Year, celebrating the start of the Year of the Horse, is coming this weekend. Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the biggest and most significant event of the year in the Chinese community. One tradition is a New Year's Eve reunion dinner, when family members get together and enjoy the moment with the people they love.

This year, Michigan Tech's Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) invites the campus and community to celebrate Chinese New Year with them on Chinese Night, Saturday, Jan. 18. Dinner, featuring authentic Chinese dishes cooked by members of the CSSA -- including pork with serrano pepper, tea-flavored boiled eggs and steamed dumplings -- will be served at the Memorial Union Commons from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A performance in the Rozsa Center after the dinner will time-travel to ancient China with a play and dancing in ancient and modern styles.

"We dance for elegance and inner tranquility that is deeply rooted in the Chinese culture," says the CSSA. "We dance for enthusiasm and passion as in the modern China. We also dance to express our wish for a family reunion at this very moment of time."

A local band called The Board is Playing also will perform.

Tickets for Chinese Night, which include both the dinner and the performance, are $10 for CSSA members and $15 for nonmembers. They are available at the SDC ticket office. Call 487-2073. Click here to purchase tickets on line.

U.P. Food Exchange holding meetings for local food sellers, buyers Jan. 14 in Houghton, Jan. 15 in Ontonagon

HANCOCK -- U.P. Food Exchange has organized meetings in mid-January to bring sellers and buyers of local food together to meet and make plans for 2014 and beyond.

A meeting will be held in Houghton from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. TOMORROW, Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Portage Lake District Library.

In Ontonagon a similar meeting will be held at Wintergreen Foods, same times, on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

These meetings are for sellers of locally grown food and institutional buyers such as restaurants, schools, universities, hospitals and retail businesses. The purpose is to meet and greet, make plans to partner in 2014, discuss opportunities and challenges, and see a live demonstration of the Online Marketplace where farms and businesses can sell and buy.

This is a great chance for farmers to meet new customers and gauge the market for produce in the coming year, and for restaurant owners/managers and school staff to find new sources for locally grown foods. Schools and restaurants who are interested in serving healthy local products are encouraged to attend and learn more.

Please RSVP at www.upfoodexchange.com or call the Marquette Food Co-op, 906-225-0671, ext 11.

For more information call Ray Sharp at 482-7382.

Calumet Art Center to offer three new classes in January, February

CALUMET -- The Calumet Art Center is offering three new classes beginning this month: Fun with Clay, Beginner to Intermediate; Twining; and Winter Weaving. Pre-registration is required for these classes: Call Ed Gray at 906-281-3494 or call the Center at 906-934-2228.

Students learn the basics of hand-building, and texturing clay. (Photos courtesy Calumet Art Center)

Fun with Clay, Session I: Beginner to Intermediate, to be taught by Ed Gray, will be offered from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. beginning TOMORROW, Tuesday, Jan. 14, and continuing Jan. 21 and 28 and Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25 and 27. Experience the processes of hand building, texturing and the use of terra sigillata. The class fee is $135; materials cost $35 and firing $15.

The Twining Class will be taught from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays: Jan. 16, 23, 30 and Feb. 6, 2014. Twining is an ancient textile technique that is several thousand years old. Help preserve this traditional handwork of our ancestors during this four-week class on Thursday evenings -- a relaxing, pleasant way to be creative during the longest nights of the frozen U.P. The class fee is $65; materials are $45.

Mary is learning the beginning rows of twining. In the Twining Class you can learn to twine a 37.5" x 27" wool rug.

Instructor Eve Lindsey will offer a Winter Weaving beginning weave class from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on two Tuesdays: Jan. 21 and 28. Learn to wind a warp and weave a sample rag rug. The class fee is $35; materials cost $5.

Weaving instructor Eve Lindsey works on a wonderful pattern.

Call 906-934-2228 now to register for a class. The Calumet Art Center is located at 57055 Fifth Street in Calumet.

For more information on upcoming classes and events email info@calumetartcenter.com or visit calumetartcenter.com.

Guest article: Michigan Tech alumni discover new variety of Greenstone in the Keweenaw

By Shawn M. Carlson

While mineral exploration companies pore over maps and drill core data in the hopes of developing new mines in Michigan, others take a more academic approach and seek out new types of minerals, rare species not previously known to occur in our state -- like the recent discovery made by two Michigan Tech alumni, Shawn M. Carlson and Travis A. Olds.

This past summer Carlson, an industry mineralogist from Crystal Falls, Mich., and Olds, a Ph.D. candidate in environmental actinide chemistry at the University of Notre Dame, were prospecting around a long-abandoned mine near Copper Harbor and encountered something unusual.

"The discovery is a variety of pumpellyite -- the scientific name for Michigan’s state gemstone -- but this one has a lot of manganese in it, enough to transform its color from the traditional green into various shades of pink, tan, and brown," said Olds.

Thin transparent slice of Michigan greenstone (state gem) with watermelon-like, yellowish-green rim surrounding a pinkish-red, manganese-rich core. (Photo © and courtesy Shawn M. Carlson)

Manganese-rich "greenstones" are known from a few other worldwide localities, but this is the very first report of the material in Michigan and probably the first report in all of North America. Though of little interest to major mining firms, new mineral finds in the Keweenaw are uncommon and tend to generate a lot of discussion amongst lapidaries, rockhounds, and mineral artists.

"Discovering a mineral new to the state of Michigan is rare enough as it is, but to have that mineral be a new variety of our state’s official gemstone -- it’s pretty exciting," said Olds.

The discovery is part of an ongoing effort to advance our understanding of Michigan’s economic, environmental, and collectible mineralogy by documenting every type of mineral known to occur here, no matter how rare or common, large or small.*

*Author's Note: For details about this "Mineralogy of Michigan" project please see http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2013/05/guest-article-announcing-mineralogy-of.html.

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club to host moonlight bonfire and ski TONIGHT, Jan. 11

Grooming Maasto Hiihto River Trail on Jan. 5. (Photos © and courtesy Arlyn and Sandy Aronson. Reprinted from The Trail Mutt Reports with permission.)

HANCOCK -- Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will host their monthly moonlight bonfire down in Swedetown gorge TONIGHT, Saturday, Jan. 11. Meet at 6:30 p.m. at the chalet in Hancock and ski down Sisu hill. The fire is just upstream from there on the River Trail. (You may ski in from any trail head -- the chalet is the closest.)

On New Year's Eve Gromit the Trail Mutt and Sandy Aronson check out the "covered" bridges on Maasto Hiihto. Here they are on the Middle Bridge over Swedetown Creek.

Come on by any time between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Hot dog roasting should be in full procession. And Mother Nature is even going to help out a little!

Click here for more photos of Gromit the Trail Mutt's skiing adventures and more.

Dance Zone Marquette to host Blue Champagne for Jan. 11 dance, Sweetheart Ball Feb. 14 with Black Pearl, more ...

MARQUETTE -- Dance Zone Marquette will host the band Blue Champagne for a dance beginning at 7 p.m. TOMORROW, Saturday, Jan. 11. Entrance price is $10 per person.

Also coming up at Dance Zone:

Contra and Old-time square dance from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, with All Strings Considered playing. Good, wholesome fun for the whole family!

Dance Zone will host their First Ever Sweetheart Ball on Friday, Feb. 14; Dinner Dance starts at 6 p.m. Black Pearl will play after dinner. $20 per person; reservations required in advance.

West Coast Swing Lessons with Brian and Janell Larson 4 Sundays: Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and Feb. 16. $20 per person for all 4 lessons. Contact larsonmqt@yahoo.com or 906-226-0138 for more information.

Other regular events:   

    Sundays -- Ballroom dance lessons with the Steppin' Out Dance Club, 7 p.m.  FREE
    Mondays -- Square dance, mainstream and plus, 7:30 p.m. $5 per couple.
    Tuesdays --  International Folk Dance, 7:15 p.m. FREE
    Fridays --
             2nd and 4th Fridays -- Hula dance lessons, 7:15 p.m.
             1st and 3rd Fridays -- Contra and square dance. All Strings Considered playing on Jan. 17, Feb. 7, March 21, April 4, May 2. Other Fridays dance to CDs; family-friendly events
    Zumba -- M, F, 6 p.m. Contact Alesia alemaki@nmu.edu for more information.
Please encourage your friends to attend these events! Please bring clean shoes to protect the dance floor.

Let Marge know if you have any questions. Call 906-236-1457.  Dance Zone is at 1113 Lincoln Avenue (Lincoln and College) in Marquette. For more details visit http://dancezonemqt.com/.

Michigan Nature Association to lead snowshoe hike Jan. 11

CHASSELL -- Michigan Nature Association will host a snowshoe hike beginning at 1 p.m. TOMORROW, Saturday, Jan. 11, at River Bend NS.

Join stewards Gwen and Mike Stockwell for a snowshoe hike to a rarely visited sanctuary in Houghton County. The group will hike out through the woods to the picturesque bend in the Otter River and back. Please bring your own snowshoes, snacks and water. Mike notes that hikers will be traversing CFA land that is currently being harvested. It may be necessary to carry your snowshoes part of the way or to bushwhack around any processing underway.

Getting there:

FROM HOUGHTON -- Go south on US 41 to Chassell and turn right at the blinking light onto Chassell-Painesdale Rd. After 3 miles, the road hooks left into Tapiola Road; go another 9 miles to first stop, turn right on Askell Road which hooks left onto Pelkie Road.  Go 2 miles to Fish Hatchery Road (Elo) and turn right; go 1.5 miles to fire number 15500 and turn right onto a long driveway.

FROM BARAGA -- From US 41, go west on M38 (blinking yellow signal) for 6.9 miles to Pelkie Road; turn right and go 6.6 miles to Fish Hatchery Road; turn left and go 1.5 miles to fire number 15500; turn right onto a long driveway.

Heikinpäivä enrichment classes begin Jan. 13; register now

Leading the 2013 Heikinpäivä Parade are Hilary Virtanen (in red) and Hal Seppälä with the banner, followed by the wagon carrying last year's Hankooki Heikki, Dan Maki, who reigned over the festival. This year the parade and other main events for the 15th annual Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Festival will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- As winter’s icy grip takes hold on the Copper Country, what better way to warm up than to bake some loaves of bread, or learn to weave, or make some beautiful music -- in preparation for Hancock's Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Festival.

You can learn to do any of these on Monday, Jan. 13, as the 2014 Heikinpäivä enrichment programming gets under way with a trio of classes at Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock.

At 2 p.m and 6 p.m., retired bakery owner Edith Maki will present "Finnish Breads -- Plain and Fancy." For a $15 fee, participants can learn to make a variety of Finnish breads from the former proprietor of Spice of Life Bakery.

At 6 p.m. that same day, fiber arts enthusiast Eileen Sundquist will share her skills in tablet weaving; folks taking that course will pay a $20 fee, which includes supplies; and participants take home a mini loom.

Also at 6 p.m., Kay Seppälä will lead a class on how to play the 5-string kantele. For a $10 fee (with instruments provided) people of all skill levels can learn to make music on the Finnish lap harp.

Kay Seppälä, instructor (musician, in foreground), and her kantele ensemble perform during the 2011 Finnish Independence celebration in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

To sign up for any of these classes, call Mary at (906) 482-1413 or email mpekkala @charter.net. Click here for more info about the classes.

Heikinpäivä is the annual midwinter festival created and conducted by the Finnish Theme Committee of the City of Hancock. It is sponsored by the Finnish American Reporter and Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center and Historical Archive.

More classes and family activities are scheduled for the next two weeks, leading up to the main Heikinpäivä festival day -- Saturday, Jan. 25. For detailed information about the festival, visit pasty.com/heikki.

Portage Library Wellness series continues with Healing Touch workshop TONIGHT, Jan. 9

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host its monthly program in the Natural Health and Wellness series from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, Jan. 9.

Cathy Lucchesi-Gedda will present "An Introduction to Healing Touch Workshop." Healing Touch is an energy therapy in which practitioners consciously use their hands to clear, restore, energize, and balance the energy field in order to support and facilitate healing.

The goal of this class is to inspire participants to tap into their own natural gifts for healing. Participants will learn concepts and techniques that promote health and facilitate healing for themselves and loved ones. Healing Touch is for any individual who wants to enhance their health and wellness and explore energy medicine as an educated consumer.

The Natural Health and Wellness series is held on the second Thursday of each month. All library programs are free, and everyone is welcome.

For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Nordic Film Series to present animated Finnish film "Seven Brothers" Jan. 9

HANCOCK -- An animated movie based on one of the greatest Finnish novels ever written begins the 2014 portion of the Nordic Film Series slate TODAY, Thursday, Jan. 9.

Seven Brothers, the only novel by famed Finnish author Aleksis Kivi, is the basis of a short, animated film of the same name. Beginning the Nordic Film Series for 2014 with this film is appropriate since this year is considered the centennial anniversary of animation in Finland. This showing is also the kickoff event for Heikinpäivä 2014. Watch for more information about this mid-winter festival, coming soon to Hancock.

The film will be shown at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Wiljanen Community Hall of Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center. The screenings are free and open to the public; donations are appreciated.

For further information, call (906) 487-7302.

Call for art entries: "Art from the Kalevala" exhibit, coming soon

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center is seeking entries for its "Art from the Kalevala" exhibit, which will take place in the Kerredge Gallery in conjunction with Hancock’s mid-winter festival, Heikinpäivä, taking place Jan. 12-28.

Swan of Tuonela, oil, by Joyce Koskenmaki. From a previous "Art from the Kalevala" exhibit. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

"If the river-swan you shoot me,

Shoot the great bird on the river,

There on Tuoni's murky river..."

The Kalevala is an important literary work and is the epic poem of Finland. Since its rich imagery provides a hearty topic for visual art, the exhibit fits nicely with the festival. Many people come to Hancock during this time and will enjoy the exhibition’s connection with Finnish culture.

Artists may submit up to three pieces. Please include the lines from the Kalevala that inspired your work. There is no fee to participate but there is a 40 percent commission on any work sold. If your art is not for sale please note "NFS."

Please deliver your work to the Community Arts Center during the following dates: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday - Friday, Jan. 8-10, or from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11.

The Community Arts Center will host an Open House Reception from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, during Heikinpäivä Mid-winter Festival.

The Copper Country Community Arts Center is at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock. For more information email: cynthia@coppercountryarts.com or call 906-482-2333.

Calumet Village holds Italian Hall Tragedy Centennial Ceremony on Christmas Eve, 2013

By Michele Bourdieu

During the Italian Hall Tragedy Centennial Ceremony on Christmas Eve, 2013, Calumet Village President Dave Geisler, right, reads the names and ages of the 73 victims, mostly children, who were crushed to death on Dec. 24, 1913, in Calumet's Italian Hall when a false alarm of "Fire!" caused a panic. A descendant of one of the victims comes forward to take a rose from the commemorative wreath honoring the victims. At left is Sue Dana, Calumet Village comptroller, who assists with the wreath. The ceremony was held at the Italian Hall historic site -- a park including the arch that remains from the building, demolished in 1984. (Photos by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now unless otherwise indicated.)

CALUMET -- While hardly warming the Christmas Eve, 2013, cold temperatures, a bit of sunshine helped brighten the scene at the Italian Hall historic arch as Calumet Village officials, church leaders, singers, and a large crowd of residents and visitors solemnly commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Italian Hall tragedy.

Here are some video highlights of the event:

As the Centennial Ceremony begins, Dave Geisler, Calumet Village president, welcomes residents and visitors to the commemoration and introduces the other speakers, including the Rev. Laura Eaton of Christ Episcopal Church and her son, the Rev. Jess Peterlin. At the Italian Hall historic site, 73 luminaries and a wreath with 73 white tea roses honor the victims. (Videos by Allan Baker for Keweeenaw Now)

During the Italian Hall Tragedy Centennial ceremony in Calumet, Mich., on Dec. 24, 2013, members of the Noteworthy chorus sing "Amazing Grace," a hymn to honor the victims.

As Calumet Village President Dave Geisler reads the last of the 73 names of the Italian Hall disaster victims, relatives come forward to take a rose from the commemorative wreath. Sue Dana, Calumet Village comptroller, reads Psalm 23. Following his closing comments, Geisler offers residents and visitors Christmas wishes in several of the languages spoken in Calumet 100 years ago.

Following the ceremony, visitors were invited to view the display of historic photographs in the Calumet Village Hall and the traveling exhibit from the Michigan Tech Archives, "Tumult and Tragedy: Michigan's 1913-1914 Copper Strike," in the Calumet Theatre.

More photos of this Italian Hall Centennial event:

This sign marks the arch from Italian Hall as a historic site commemorating the victims of the 1913 tragedy. (Photos by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

Luminaries at the historic arch honor the victims on Christmas Eve 2013, marking the centennial of the Italian Hall tragedy.

A close-up of the luminaries -- one for each of the 73 victims.

Following the Italian Hall Tragedy Centennial Ceremony on Dec. 24, 2013, visitors view historic photos on display in the Calumet Village Hall. This is a photo of the deadly stairwell and the doors at the entrance.

This historic photo of Italian Hall is part of the exhibit in the Calumet Village Hall.

A historic photo of the funeral for the victims that was held on Dec. 28, 1913.

Late into the evening of Christmas Eve, 2013, the luminaries near the Italian Hall historic arch continue to burn in honor of the Italian Hall victims. (Photo © Eric Munch, 2013. Reprinted with permission.)

During the afternoon and evening of Christmas Eve, 2013, Calumet church bells tolled for the victims.

During the evening of Dec. 24, 2013, the bells at St. Paul the Apostle Church ring out in remembrance of the victims of the Italian Hall disaster of Christmas Eve, 1913.

Editor's Notes: See also our Dec. 24, 2013, article, "1913 Massacre filmmakers talk about their documentary on Italian Hall disaster."

Click here to learn about the traveling exhibit, "Tumult and Tragedy," which is available to the public in the Calumet Theatre through Jan. 16, 2014.

From Woods Person: We Are a Nation of Laws

Or, how an insurance company may yet save Iron County, Wis., from disaster

By Woods Person
Published on woodsperson.blogspot.com on Jan. 6, 2014
Reprinted here in part with permission.

IRON COUNTY, WIS. --  In a four minute meeting on the morning of December 9th, 2013, the Iron County (Wis.) Forestry Committee of the County Board voted unanimously to evict members of the Lac Courte Oreilles band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe from their Harvest, Education, and Learning Project camp, (HELP), on county forest land. Little discussion of the rationale for this decision and no consideration of the possible legal repercussions and consequences of it occurred at that public meeting or, for that matter, in any other public meeting....

Click here to read the rest of this article (and its documentation) on the Woods Person blog.

See also "Truth or Consequences in the Penokee Hills," a letter from Jack Parker, geologist and mining engineer from Baltic, Mich., posted on the Woods Person blog on Jan. 5, 2014.

Sen. Levin comments on Great Lakes invasive species study

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, made the following statement today about the release of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study into the movement of invasive species into the Great Lakes:

"I welcome the arrival today of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Inter-basin Study prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The report provides a framework for stopping the movement of destructive invasive species, including Asian carp, between the two basins. With a $7 billion fishery at stake, it is urgent that we do everything we can to curb the threat of invasive species, and this report will help Congress determine how to provide the most effective protections for the Great Lakes. I look forward to working with my colleagues and other stakeholders in achieving that goal."

According to an Associated Press article posted and updated today, Jan. 6, 2014, the report includes "construction projects in Chicago waterways that could cost more than $18 billion and take 25 years to complete."*

* See "Army Corps proposes alternatives to protect lakes" on theitem.com.

Keweenaw Garden Club event scheduled for Portage Library Jan. 6 to be postponed

HOUGHTON --The Keweenaw Garden Club meeting and presentation, "Winter Sowing Your Way to a Beautiful Garden," scheduled for Monday evening, Jan. 6, at Portage Lake District Library, will be postponed to a further date, to be announced.

Since schools will be closed tomorrow, Jan. 6, because of inclement weather, the Portage Library will also be closed.

Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now announced this event earlier today. Thanks to Chris Alquist, Portage Library community program director, for the update.

Orpheum Theater to host Steve Jones, Garden City Hot Club and John Peiffer this weekend

HANCOCK -- This weekend the Orpheum Theater will offer two great shows -- one Friday and one Saturday, both featuring Copper Country favorite guitarist Steve Jones.

Guitarist Steve Jones will perform both tonight, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday, at the Orpheum Theater. (Photo courtesy Orpheum Theater. Reprinted with permission.)

TONIGHT, Friday, Jan. 3, Jones will be playing a special classical guitar show, along with flamenco, Brazilian and fingerstyle jazz compositions.

"If you haven't seen Steve play a solo classical show yet, you'll be amazed!" says Mike Shupe, Orpheum owner.*

On both Friday and Saturday nights, doors open at 7:30 p.m. and music starts around 8 p.m. Admission is $10, $7 for students and seniors, and $5 for children 12 and under.

TOMORROW, Saturday night, Jan. 4, is a rare opportunity to hear Peiffer's Corner, a jazz combo featuring John Peiffer and Steve Jones, as well as other members of the Garden City Hot Club. John Peiffer is the French horn player for the Kennedy Center Orchestra, but in his jazz combo he plays not only French horn, but also ukulele and harmonica -- and he is also the lead singer. This performance is celebrating the release of a debut CD called "This is Peiffer’s Corner."

Musician John Peiffer, center, pictured here with some fellow musicians (not identified), will perform at the Orpheum Theater tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 4. Peiffer, French horn player for the Kennedy Center Orchestra, will be playing with Steve Jones and The Garden City Hot Club to celebrate the release of a debut CD called "This is Peiffer’s Corner." (Photo courtesy Orpheum Theater and Emaleigh Jensen. Reprinted with permission.)

Singer, multi-instrumentalist and leader, John Peiffer says, "'Peiffer’s Corner' is a creative gathering place for musicians (like Steve Jones and members of The Garden City Hot Club, who will be joining me), the songs and arrangements I write, and for the lovers of jazz, blues and the classics who come to listen, share a laugh, and maybe dance in the aisles."

Whether dancing polkas, playing horn with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, or joining Steve Jones and the Garden City Hot Club at the Orpheum and elsewhere, John Peiffer has nurtured a love affair with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula since 2001.

John says, "Something magical always happens when I play music with Steve Jones and the guys."

Though Bob Hiltunen, Dan Fuhrman and Scott McIntosh are usually "the guys" he’s referring to, others are often included as well.

"Last summer we had a memorable night at the Orpheum when, with the addition of violinist Glen Basham of the Bergonzi String Quartet, myself on natural horn and harmonicas, and Adam Johnson on the drums, the Garden City Hot Club became a septet that I still hear folks raving about," John notes.

Coming from the Washington, D.C. area, where he is Assistant Principal Horn of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, John says, "I’m always amazed at how many incredibly talented musicians and artists make their home in the U.P."

And, since buying a house in Chassell in 2002 and meeting the love of his life at the Aura Jamboree in 2009, that’s exactly what Peiffer’s been doing, when at all possible.

"The cross-country skiing and Lake Superior kayaking in the summer aren’t too shabby either," he adds. "They’re the best!"

While drawing creative inspiration for "Peiffer’s Corner" from writers of the "Great American Songbook" like Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin and the Gershwins, John has one foot rooted in the jazz tradition and the other in that of the classical masters. So welcome the surprise of hearing him bring together Strauss and Thelonious Monk, Puccini and Lionel Hampton, or his own creations with Eric Satie or Duke Ellington -- playing jazz on the French horn, harmonica or recorder and accompanying his smooth baritone voice on the ukulele.

"I am so delighted to have Steve Jones and members of The Garden City Hot Club joining me for the music of 'Peiffer’s Corner' at the Orpheum Theater on January 4th," John says. "We’ll have Dan Fuhrman at the keyboard, Bob Hiltunen on guitar and percussion, and Tim Havens on the bass."

In with Studio Pizza, the Orpheum Theater is located across the street from Finlandia University at 426 Quincy Street in downtown Hancock.

* For more on Steve Jones, go to www.gardencityhotclub.com.

Calumet galleries to offer warmth, art exhibits, receptions for First Friday, Jan. 3

CALUMET -- First Friday in Calumet will kick off the New Year with art exhibit openings, open house events and art activities in the local galleries on Friday, Jan. 3.

Paige Wiard Gallery to present "Celebration of Copper Country Artists"

"Campfire" by Joyce Koskenmaki. (Photo courtesy Paige Wiard Gallery)

The Paige Wiard Gallery will host a "Celebration of Copper Country Artists" with an opening reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on First Friday, Jan. 3. For the month of January the Gallery will be showcasing the many local artists the gallery represents. The Copper Country is fortunate to have a wide variety of talent including: woodworking, pottery, fiber, pastels, and oil.

Wood sculpture by Bill Wiard. (Photo courtesy Paige Wiard Gallery)

Please call the gallery at 906-337-5970 or email paigewiardgallery@gmail.com for answers to any questions.

Copper Country Associated Artists to offer "Art of Spinning"

Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA) will present "The Art of Spinning," a spinning demonstration by Jennifer Szubielak and MaryBeth Olson -- fiber artists who live in the Calumet area -- from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on First Friday, Jan. 3. The two artists will be using a variety of spindles and a wonderful handmade wheel. They will be spinning sheep wool but will bring samples of yarn and knitted works using fibers from different animals including alpaca, camel and dog. A few "student spindles" will be available for those who might enjoy trying the art themselves.

Jennifer Szubielak has her handmade yarn for sale in local stores.

The CCAA gallery is located at 205 Fifth St. in Calumet. For more information, please call 906-337-1252 or email ccaartists@gmail.com.

Galerie Bohème to hold reception for exhibit of local artists' work

Galerie Bohème will offer their usual First Friday festivities starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3. The gallery will be displaying feathers and "Barn Owl" by Stuart Baird, painting and posters from Jerome Ferretti, a further examination of Susanne Kilpela's unique sculptures, a new drawing on Herculon presented by Margo McCafferty, a few of Georgi Tsenov's telling cityscapes, an Ursula Vernon steam-punk assemblage, and a couple of new Superior fish from Galerie Bohème host Tom Rudd.

New colored pencil drawing on Herculon by Margo McCafferty. (Photo courtesy Galerie Bohème)

"We need not mention just how much snow we have had so far this season, but for the sake of those living in less fortunate locations: 150 inches as of December 30th (must be some sort of record)," Rudd says. "Stop by and join us with a cuppa, some fresh bread and cheese, and trade complaints on the weather."

Smythtype Design to hold First Friday Open House

Smythtype Design will hold a First Friday Open House from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Jan. 3 at 104 Fifth Street, Suite A, above Café Rosetta in downtown Calumet.

Owner Laura Smyth invites you to, "Pop in for something warm to drink and to enjoy the beautiful, whimsical art work of Jack Oyler -- always on my walls, but usually I'm the only one who gets to enjoy it!"

Calumet artist Jack Oyler's colorful work is displayed at Smythtype Design. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Information will also be on hand about upcoming creative writing workshops in this cozy space, in partnership with Keweenaw Writers Workshop.*

"As an added incentive to climb those 28 steps up to the 2nd floor," Smyth said, "you can pick up a complimentary 'Adventures in the U.P.' 2014 wall calendar."

* Click here to learn about the Keweenaw Writers Workshop.
Click here to learn more about Smythtype Design.

Calumet Art Center to host First Friday Open House 

Pottery by Ed Gray is on display at the Calumet Art Center. (Photo courtesy Calumet Art Center)

From the glow of the pit fire, sacred clay vessels emerged, with handles made from horn. This pottery is now on display in the Calumet Art Center gallery with an invitation for First Friday participants to enjoy. Find your inspiration while touring the glass bead project and clay studios and learn about the Center's upcoming classes and events.

The Calumet Art Center will host an Open House from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on First Friday, Jan. 3.

The Calumet Art Center is at 57055 Fifth St. in Calumet. Call 906-934-2228 or email info@calumetartcenter.com for more information.

B3 to perform First Friday live music at Continental Fire Company Jan. 3

HOUGHTON -- The Continental Fire Company (CFC) will host live music by B3 for Happy Hour on First Friday, Jan. 3. B3 -- Erika Vye (guitar, djembe, vocals), Steve Brimm (guitar, banjo, vocals) and Marshall Weathersby (mandolin, guitar, vocals) -- will perform from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Happy Hour ends at 7 p.m.)

There is no cover charge for the B3 music.

CFC's address is: 408 E. Montezuma Ave. in Houghton.