Hike in the Trap Hills Oct. 6

View of the Ontonagon River. The river and fall colors will be part of a hike sponsored by Save the Wild UP and the Trap Hills Conservation Alliance on Sunday, Oct. 6. (Photos © and courtesy Margaret Comfort unless otherwise indicated.)

Save the Wild UP and the Trap Hills Conservation Alliance will sponsor a hike to the gorgeous Trap Hills (near Ewen and Bergland, Mich.) on Sunday, Oct. 6.  This time they will be hiking in the eastern end of the region.

Meet at 11 a.m. EDT at Old Victoria Museum near Rockland, Mich.

Meet at 11 a.m. Eastern Time at Old Victoria Historic site, 3.7 miles west of Rockland.

Those who so desire can take a guided tour of Old Victoria (former mining town) Museum and grounds for $4 per person. The group will then have lunch. Please bring a sack lunch and water bottle. Trail snacks, desserts, and hot apple cider will be provided.

Participants will then carpool to the launch site.

Once again, this will be a guided hike with botanist Steve Garske and retired wilderness ranger/geologist Doug Welker. The hike will include a visit to Gleason Falls. Stunning panoramic vistas abound!

 

Bluff east of Whiskey Hollow Creek in the Trap Hills. (Photo © and courtesy Doug Welker)

This is a MODERATE-DIFFICULTY, THREE-MILE hike of more than three hours, suitable for the entire family!

Following the hike, those who wish will have supper at Henry's in Rockland. Sandwiches, vegetarian selections, and homemade soup will be available. Self-pay.

Enjoy supper at Henry's Inn after the hike. Sally, Erica, and Cassandra will have your table waiting!

Carpooling is available  from your region!

SPACE IS LIMITED, SO PLEASE RSVP to Margaret Comfort at president@savethewildup.org or call 906-250-3284. Once you RSVP, you will receive further information and directions to Old Victoria.

Editor's Note: Read about the August hike in the Trap Hills and see more photos in Save the Wild UP's article, "Kick-off celebration of U.P.’s Trap Hills huge success."

Reflection Gallery to host opening reception for "Hidden Artists of Finlandia" Oct. 3

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Reflection Gallery, Hancock, will host an opening reception for the exhibit "Hidden Artists of Finlandia" from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 3.

The reception is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

This exhibit showcases the artwork of Finlandia University faculty and students who are not part of the university’s International School of Art and Design (ISAD). It is on display from Oct. 3 to Oct. 31, 2013.

The Reflection Gallery is located on the second level of Finlandia’s Jutila Center campus, 200 Michigan Street, Hancock.

For information, call 487-7375.

Calumet Library Oct. 2 program cancelled; Friends of Calumet Library to hold meeting, music program

CALUMET -- The Calumet Library regrets to announce that the program, "Red Rocks and Ancient Cultures: Parks of the Great American Southwest," presented by Mike Pflaum, Keweenaw National Historical Park Superintendent and scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 2, has been cancelled. The library will reschedule it at a future date.

Friends of Calumet Library to meet Oct. 8

The regular monthly meeting of the Friends of the Calumet Library will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in the library.

This is an open meeting, and the group welcomes new members and new ideas. There are many ways to lend a hand at the library: programming ideas, volunteer opportunities, the Red Jacket Readers book club, and more! Come find out what's ahead at the Calumet Public Library. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the library. Mark your calendar!

Oct. 16: Songs of 1913-1914 by the 1913 Singers

The 1913 Singers will present "Don’t Go Mine Down in the Mine, Dad" -- Songs of 1913-1914 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the CLK Commons with a reception to follow in the library. 

Music has been a steadfast part of the cultural fabric of the Keweenaw, binding concerns of family, church, politics, and work. "Don’t Go Mine Down in the Mine, Dad" -- Songs of 1913-14 will bring the audience not only local songs from the 1913-14 copper strike, but will include other thought-provoking favorites of the period. Join the 1913 Singers as they transport you back a hundred years or more via a magic lantern show of projected images and live music reflecting the period.

Use the library entrance at the school, and follow signs directing you to the Commons. All ages are welcome!

These events are sponsored by the Friends of the Calumet Public Library. For more information, visit the library or call 337-0311 ext. 1107. (In case of bad weather, when school is cancelled, all library programs are cancelled.)

Public invited to Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association events Oct. 4-6

[Editor's Update: The Keweenaw cruise mentioned below is unaffected by the government shutdown. Kristine Bradof will try to answer questions directed to the 482-7860 number. You may also leave a voice message at that number. One possible change might be the need to move the Friday, Oct. 4, geo-heritage program across the street to the Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's.]

HOUGHTON -- The Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association (IRKPA) invites the public to three Annual Membership Meeting events this week.

Friday to Sunday, Oct. 4-6, Calumet:

View from Brockway Mountain. (Photos courtesy Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association)

The Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association Keweenaw Photography Workshop will be led by Master Photographer Bob Guiliani. Registration is $350, which includes a scenic, narrated, historical boat cruise on the Keweenaw Waterway and opportunities to photograph Lake Superior shorelines, historic mine structures, lighthouses, views from Brockway Mountain Drive, sunrises, and sunsets. The workshop begins with an introduction and overview of basic photography techniques at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, and concludes Sunday, Oct. 6, with discussions and critiques from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here for more information or call 906-482-7860.

Friday, Oct. 4, Calumet:

Houghton Geo-Walk sign near Keweenaw Waterway.

Michigan Tech Professor Emeritus Bill Rose will present "Growing Geo-heritage Tourism in the Keweenaw" at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in the Keweenaw National Historical Park's Calumet Visitor Center, 98 Fifth St. If you've ever wondered how visitors (and residents!) can learn more about what's at the bottom of all that beautiful -- and historic -- scenery, this presentation is for you! Sponsored by the Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association, this event is free and open to the public.

Saturday, Oct. 5, Houghton:

The Isle Royale Queen IV, docked at the Houghton waterfront near the Portage Lift Bridge.

Take in the Keweenaw’s famous fall colors on a narrated cruise aboard the Isle Royale Queen IV as Michigan Tech Professors Emeriti Larry Lankton and Bill Rose present "The Life of a Lake: the Geologic and Human History of the Keweenaw Waterway" from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Check in at 1:30 p.m. at the Houghton waterfront west of the Lift Bridge across from Aspirus Keweenaw Medical Arts. This is a fundraiser for the Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association. Tickets are $25 ($20 for IRKPA members). Reservations are recommended: space is limited, and these speakers are popular! Purchase tickets online at www.irkpa.org or print registration form and mail check. Any unsold tickets will go on sale at the dock at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Call 482-7860 for information.

Finlandia to hold Fall 2013 community enrichment classes in Finnish language, music workshop

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, has announced its fall 2013 community enrichment class schedule.

Three 10-week Finnish language classes begin the week of October 7, 2013.*

Beginning Finnish, instructed by Hilary Virtanen, will meet on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Intermediate Finnish, instructed by Anna Leppänen, will meet on Tuesdays from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.

Advanced Finnish, instructed by Hannu Leppänen, will meet on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The classes meet at the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. The cost is $50 per person, per class. Students may pre-register or register the first day of class.

In addition, a one-time accordion and fiddle workshop, presented by Sara Pajunen and Teija Niku of the folk music duo Aallotar, will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center on Saturday, Oct. 12. Pre-registration is required; the fee is $25 per person.

To obtain more information or to register for a class or workshop, call 906-487-7505.

* Editor's Note: This date is a correction. We regret posting an incorrect date earlier today.

Michigan Tech Center for Diversity and Inclusion announces events this week

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech's Center for Diversity and Inclusion announces several events happening this week:

• The Society of African American Men (SAAM) will host their annual Men’s Week from Monday, Sept. 30, through Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. in MUB Ballroom A-2. Women are also encouraged to attend their events. For details about the events, visit their Facebook page.

• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (1100 College Ave.) will host Dianne Sprague on Wednesday, Oct. 2, to talk about her experience as a transwoman. Dinner will be offered at 6 p.m. with discussion to follow. Everyone is welcome.

• Want to know how the state of Michigan ranks in terms of equality? Come to a presentation from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4, in MUB Ballroom B by Mark Bishop from the Michigan Department of Civil Rights as he looks at where we’re at, where we need to go, and how we can all help to get there. This is the first event of GLBTQ History Month! Click here for more info.

• The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) will host a Noche Latina salsa dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, in the MUB Ballroom. Click here for more info.

Local high school student volunteers participate in Great Lakes Shoreline Cleanup

Keweenaw Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members and local high school student volunteers display the bags of trash they collected during the Sept. 21, 2013, Great Lakes Shoreline Cleanup along the Keweenaw Waterway (Portage Canal) near Michigan Tech University. (Photos © and courtesy Joan Chadde)

HOUGHTON -- Fourteen Keweenaw Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members and high school student volunteers from Houghton, Dollar Bay and Calumet High Schools participated in the Great Lakes Shoreline Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013. The students removed seven bags of trash between Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center and Prince's Point along the City of Houghton's public walking/riding trail.

Students who participated were Elise Cheney, Vladi Kotov, Rylie Store, Brooke Basto, Emily Linn, Ingrid Flaspohler, Ryne Hocking, Kyle Archambeau, Kyra Neufeld, Chance Sche, Emma Brown, Ben Lilleskov, Joe Dobbs, Nick Vlahos, and Dan Gershenson.

Youth Advisory Council student volunteers sort trash during the Sept. 21 Great Lakes Shoreline Cleanup.

The Great Lakes Shoreline Cleanup, also called Adopt-a-Beach, is coordinated through the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Volunteers throughout the Great Lakes Basin in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois collect the trash and sort it into specified categories such as fast food wrappers, beverage cans, bottles, clothing, etc., and submit the data to a regional database.*

This year's collection yielded far fewer cigarette butts than in past years -- an encouraging sign!

YAC is comprised of Houghton County students in grades 8-12. The purpose of YAC is to strengthen the leadership and charitable commitment of youth by providing opportunities for them to develop solutions to serious problems. YAC has three goals: to engage youth in philanthropy, address the needs of local youth in Houghton and Keweenaw counties, and engage in community service.

Any student in the Copper Country in grades 8-12 can participate in YAC by contacting one of the YAC facilitators: Lois Jambekar at 482-8342 or loisjambekar@chartermi.net or Joan Chadde at 487-3341 or jchadde@mtu.edu.

Contributions to the Youth Advisory Council are welcomed.**

* Click here to learn more about the Great Lakes Shoreline Cleanup.

** Click here to learn more about the Keweenaw Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council.

MNA to host Bryophyte Field Trip Sept. 28 at Brown Nature Sanctuary

CHASSELL -- The Michigan Nature Association (MNA) is sponsoring a Bryophyte Field Trip at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Brown Nature Sanctuary.

Enjoy a foray into the fascinating micro-world of mosses and liverworts, led by Janice Glime, well-known researcher and retired Michigan Tech professor. Learn about the peat mosses, epiphytes (growing on trees), and leafy liverworts at the fragile fen, viewing them from the boardwalk. At the main lake, forest mosses, including cushion moss, will be seen. For a little scientific study at the end of trip, bring along a hand lens or magnifying glass if you can, sunscreen, a hat, mosquito protection, and comfortable walking shoes. Pack a lunch and bring a camp chair if you wish.

Getting there:  Drive south on M-26 from Houghton. As you drive through Painesdale, you will pass the turn-off of the Chassell-Painesdale Rd. on the left. Continue on M-26 for three miles and look for the large MNA Event sign on the right. Turn right and continue the short distance until you see the second MNA sign where you can park along the side of the road. In case of heavy rain, the field trip will be rescheduled. 

For more information, please contact nancy@einerlei.com.

Houghton County Dems approve resolution allowing same-sex marriage

HANCOCK -- At their September monthly meeting, members of the Houghton County Democratic Party discussed a Michigan constitutional issue and unanimously approved the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the Michigan constitution, Article 1, Section 25, states in part "the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose," and

WHEREAS, the Internal Revenue Service has allowed legally married same-sex couples to use the same tax rules and codes as legally married non same-sex couples for the filing of US income tax returns, and

WHEREAS, allowing only male-female marriage imposes a discriminatory burden on citizens of Michigan while serving no public interest, and

WHEREAS, an increasing number of states are recognizing the rights of all of their competent adult citizens to marry whom they please, and it behooves the state of Michigan to both recognize these acts from other states and join them in supporting equality of liberty for all citizens,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Houghton County Democratic Committee (Party) supports the repeal of Article 1, Section 25 of the Michigan constitution, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Houghton County Democratic Committee (Party) supports the rights of same-sex couples to marry and receive the same legal benefits as legally married non same-sex couples.

Video, photos: Concerned citizens in Marquette demonstrate against Keystone Pipeline, call for peace in Syria

Video and photos by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now

Undaunted by rainy weather, a group of citizens concerned about climate change demonstrate in front of the building housing U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek's Marquette office on Sept. 21, 2013, a National Day of Action to "Draw the Line" against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Benishek, who questions scientific data about climate change, supports the pipeline. (Photos by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

MARQUETTE -- In solidarity with 350.org's "Draw the Line" National Day of Action to demand that President Obama deny the permit for Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, a group of concerned citizens demonstrated in front of First District U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek's office in Marquette on Sept. 21, 2013.

In this video clip Heidi Gould of Marquette explains to local resident Matti Graves the reason for the demonstration:

Heidi Gould of Marquette, Mich., explains to Matti Graves why she is protesting against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline on Sept. 21, 2013, a National Day of Action, sponsored by the movement 350.org. Her group is protesting in front of the Marquette office of Michigan Republican Congressman Dan Benishek, who favors the pipeline and has expressed doubts about climate change. (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

At the Sept. 21 "Draw the Line" protest against the Keystone pipeline in Marquette, a demonstrator holds a sign expressing concerns about the dangers of oil leaks.

The "Draw the Line" demonstrators display their signs near the Marquette waterfront.*

Another protest in Marquette:

Also on Sept. 21, 2013, another protest was happening in front of the Marquette Post Office -- a peace group expressing their views against potential military strikes in Syria.

Citizens gather at the Post Office in Marquette on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, to protest potential military strikes against Syria.

Peace activists display their signs at the Post Office in Marquette Sept. 21.

* Editor's Note: To learn more about 350.org and to see more photos of groups all over the country who participated in the Sept. 21 "Draw the Line on Keystone" event, click here.

Mining Mini-Grant application deadline is Oct. 1

The deadline for applying for a Mining Mini-Grant from the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and the Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) is Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013.

The goal of the Mining Mini-grants Program is to support and enhance the capacity building efforts of mining-impacted communities in the U.S. and Canada to assure that mining projects do not adversely affect the human, cultural, and ecological health of communities.

"This is a very special program, offering small grants to communities impacted by mining for specific short-term projects," says Aimee Boulanger, WMAN coordinator. "We feel very fortunate to have the resources to offer this program and are privileged to provide this support to worthy groups doing important work to protect the environment and their local communities." 

Applications are accepted three times a year: June 1, Oct. 1, and Feb. 1. Applicants will be notified of the funding decision within one month of the application deadline. Each grant issued will not exceed $3,000 U.S.

There will be an "emergency" fund for extremely time-sensitive projects that fall between grant cycles (i.e., needs that could not have been anticipated at the time of the last cycle and cannot wait to be addressed until the next cycle). These grants will be very limited and awarded on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Mini-Grant Review Committee.

Click here to download the mini-grant program guidelines from the WMAN Web site.

If you have questions, please contact either Aimee Boulanger, WMAN Network Coordinator at (360) 969-2028 or email aboulanger@whidbey.com or call Simone Senogles, Indigenous Environmental Network, (218) 751-4967, or email simone@ienearth.org.

The grant application can be emailed to either Aimee Boulanger or to Simone Senogles, or it can be sent by regular mail, postmarked by Oct. 1, 2013 (for this grant cycle), to: IEN attn: Mining Mini-grants, PO Box 485, Bemidji, MN 56619. If you are mailing the application, please call Simone or Aimee to let them know to expect it.

Community Arts Center to host closing reception for Anna Backman's exhibit Sept. 27

"As I See It" artwork by Anna Backman. A closing reception for this exhibit in the Copper Country Community Arts Center's Youth Gallery will be held Friday, Sept. 27. (Photo courtesy Copper Country Community Arts Center)

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center will host the closing reception for "As I See It" artwork by Anna Backman in the CCCAC Youth Gallery from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.

Anna is a 16-year-old senior at Dollar Bay High School. Her connection to the Arts Center reaches back to a time when she used to attend Kids Make Art class. Anna has volunteered for the CCCAC for a number of events and was this year’s Summer Arts Camp junior counselor. She is also one of the Arts Center’s volunteer photographers.

Anna describes her show as "an interesting compilation of different media, all showing people and places from my point of view."

Also happening on Friday: From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. clay co-op manager Tammy Gajewski will give a free demonstration on how to throw on the wheel to create ceramic vessels.

The Copper Country Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock.  Call 906-482-2333 for more information.

Dance Zone Marquette to celebrate third anniversary Sept. 27, 28 with dance workshops, pot luck, Black Pearl dance band, door prizes, more ...

MARQUETTE -- The Dance Zone in Marquette will celebrate its third anniversary this weekend with dance workshops on Friday and Saturday (most are free!), Sept. 27 and 28; a potluck and an evening dance to the music of Black Pearl on Saturday; beginning and intermediate folk dance workshops with Michael Kuharski; door prizes and fun for everyone.

Here is the schedule:

Friday, Sept. 27:
10  a.m. -- intermediate Folk Dance Workshop (donation to June Camp scholarship fund) with Michael Kuharski
6 p.m. -- Zumba with Alexia Maki ($10 per session; $40 for 8 sessions)
7:15 p.m. -- Hula with Marge Sklar, free

Saturday, Sept. 28:
Free Workshops:          
10 a.m. -- Beginning level international Folk Dance Workshop with Michael Kuharski
 1 p.m. Contra and square dancing workshop with Marge
 2:30 p.m. -- Cha Cha workshop with Marge
 4 p.m. -- Tango workshop with Ben St. Aubin
 5:30 p.m. -- Pot luck Dinner
 7 p.m. -- Evening Dance -- Black Pearl, $10 per person.

Other upcoming events:

Sundays -- Free Ballroom dance lessons with the Steppin' Out Dance Club, 7 p.m.
Mondays -- Square dance, mainstream and plus, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays -- International Folk Dance, 7:15 p.m.
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 these dates: Oct. 18, Nov. 1, Dec. 6, Jan. 17, Feb. 7, March 21, Apr. 4, May 2. Other Fridays dance to CDs; family-friendly events.

Zumba -- M, W, F, 6 p.m.

Dance Zone is at 1113 Lincoln Avenue (Lincoln and College), Marquette. If you have questions call Marge at 906-236-1457.

North Wind Books to host three book signings -- Sept. 26, 27, 28

HANCOCK -- North Wind Books in Hancock will host book signings with three authors of newly published works Sept. 26, 27 and 28.

All three book signings are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Earl Brogan will officially launch his debut novel, Various Heroes, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Author Earl Brogan. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

The novel, published this June by North Star Press, draws on historical Keweenaw Peninsula events such as the Italian Hall Tragedy. The story’s modern-day characters find themselves in various conflicts between the real and supernatural worlds. The book’s subtitle is "Life, Death, and the Afterlife in the Upper Peninsula."*

Brogan was raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and, according to the publisher’s website, he has always had an interest in its history and ethnic heritage. A retired high school English teacher, Brogan teaches composition and literature as an adjunct professor at Finlandia University and Michigan Technological University.

Brogan and his wife, Jan, live in Lake Linden.

Karen S. Johnson will sign copies of Picturing the Past: Finlandia University, 1896 to the Present from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.

Karen S. Johnson displays the book, Picturing the Past: Finlandia University, 1896 to the Present, at the Finn Fest Tori held in the Student Development Complex at Michigan Tech last June. Johnson, Finlandia University executive director of communications, is the editor and lead author of the book. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Johnson is the editor and lead author, with co-author and researcher Deborah Frontiera, of this 256-page full color photo-intensive history of Suomi College and Finlandia University. Both soft cover and hard cover copies of the book are available.

Johnson is the executive director of communications at Finlandia University, where she has been employed since 2004. Originally from Royal Oak, Mich., she now resides in South Range, Mich.

Liz Siivola will sign copies of her new children’s picture book, Little Mouse Finds a Home, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Illustrated by Brittany DuPont, Little Mouse Finds a Home was published in July 2013 by Orange Hat Publishing. It is a true story about a mouse found in a hospital on Christmas Eve.

Young readers will enjoy the story of the mouse's adventure and how she finds a new home, says the Orange Hat Publishing website. The book demonstrates how an animal found in an unlikely place can be rescued, cared for, and returned to its natural habitat.**

Siivola and her husband, Pastor Peter Vorhes, live in Laurium, Mich.

North Wind Books is located in downtown Hancock at 437 Quincy St. For information  call 906-487-7217.

* Click here to read more about Various Heroes.

** Click here to visit Liz Siivola's author's Web page.

Portage Library to host Family Science and Technology Night Sept. 24

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library invites all K-6 students and their parents for an evening of fun, science and technology during the Michigan Tech Family Science and Technology Night program from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24. This program will be led by students from Michigan Technological University.

Families will learn about the basics of circuitry and electrical engineering while doing creative and playful interactive lessons. Kids and their parents will make a Play Doh sculpture that lights up and moves, design a video game controller using bananas, turn their friends into an electric piano, use a paintbrush to make computerized music, and learn how to design their own toys and household objects using a 3D printer.

These activities develop a curiosity about and the ability to solve scientific and technological challenges. Family Science and Technology Night provides an opportunity for parents and their children to learn together while having fun and making scientific connections to everyday life.

This event is sponsored by the Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education and Michigan Technological University.

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

CLK Rotary Club raffle to fund scholarships is Sept. 25

Dan Dalquist sells raffle tickets for the Calumet-Laurium Rotary Club raffle at the Houghton County Fair Aug. 23, 2013. The drawing for $5000 in prizes will be at noon Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

LAURIUM -- The drawing for the 2013 Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw Rotary Club Raffle will be held at noon Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013 at the Irish Times Restaurant in Laurium. Ticket holders need not be present to win. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased from CLK Rotary Club members.

First prize is $4,500; second prize $450; third prize $50.

Proceeds from the raffle help students from local schools who wish to pursue a technical, as opposed to a professional, career. Examples are auto mechanics, building trades and the arts.

"We're funding scholarships for non-traditional students from the CLK and Lake Linden schools for trade-based education," said Dan Dalquist, CLK Rotary member.

If you wish to buy a raffle ticket before Wednesday's drawing, contact Dan Dalquist at ddalquist@gmail.com.

Click here to learn more about the scholarships and previous winners.

KISMA to offer information, control demonstration about invasive Japanese knotweed Sept. 24

HOUGHTON -- The The Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) will sponsor a talk and a control demonstration about invasive Japanese knotweed on Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Houghton. The two events are free and open to the public.

Japanese knotweed is an extremely invasive, bamboo-like plant growing here in the Copper Country. (Photo © and courtesy Tom Heutte, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.)

Japanese knotweed and its relative, giant knotweed, are extremely invasive bamboo-like plants that occur in the Copper Country in Houghton/Hancock, on US 41 just south of Houghton, Calumet/Laurium, L'Anse, Lake Linden, and elsewhere in the Keweenaw. They are capable of pushing their way under streets and through pavement, as has happened in Bayfield, Wisconsin. They can also damage parking lots, sidewalks and foundations, resulting in extremely high repair costs. After escaping from yards and gardens, these out-of-place plants can quickly become an invasive pest in natural areas forming dense stands that limit other plants from growing among their crowded stems.

Close-up view of invasive Japanese knotwood. (Photo © and courtesy Tom Heutte, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.)

A Japanese/giant knotweed information session will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the Lakeshore Center's (old UPPCO Building) Community Room. Featured is guest speaker Pam Roberts, coordinator of Northwoods Cooperative Weed Management Area in Bayfield, who will highlight their group's work with knotweed education and control in northern Wisconsin.

Following the info session, a control demonstration will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Michigan Tech's parking lots 21/26, located on the east side of Garnet Street, just south of Seventh Avenue. Ian Shackleford, Ottawa National Forest botanist and invasive species specialist, will demonstrate various control methods for knotweed. Pam Roberts and Bonnie Hay, Gratiot Lake Conservancy executive director, will share their experiences with knotweed control.*

This map shows the locations of the Japanese knotweed information session at the Lakeshore Center and the control demonstration that will follow in Michigan Tech's parking lots 21/26. (Map courtesy Janet Marr)

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Janet Marr, KISMA coordinator, at 906-337-5529 or email jkmarr@mtu.edu or Sue Haralson, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District administrator, at 906-369-3400 or email sue_haralson@yahoo.com.

KISMA's Mission: The Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area's mission is to facilitate cooperation among federal, state, tribal, and local groups in prevention and management of invasive species across land ownership boundaries within Baraga, Houghton, and Keweenaw Counties.

KISMA is funded by a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through an agreement between the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Ottawa National Forest.

* Click here to learn more about Japanese knotweed and see more photographs.

Finnish American Heritage Center to host poetry reading, "The Copper Country Strike of 1913," Sept. 23

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, will host a reading of Eelu Kiviranta’s narrative poem, "The Copper Country Strike of 1913," at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23.

Lillian Lehto will read the poem, which she has translated into the English language. Lehto is the granddaughter of Eelu Kiviranta (1873-1953), a Finnish immigrant miner and farmer who during his lifetime self-published and sold a number of booklets of his original poems.

The poem provides a first-hand look at the 1913 strike and its effects on the Copper Country area. The reading will be accompanied by a slide show of archival photographs illustrating many of the scenes mentioned in the poem. The presentation will be followed by discussion and coffee.

Lehto has translated a number of Kiviranta’s poems, which are published in her 2010 book, A Rascal’s Craft.

The event is free and open to the public. The Finnish American Heritage Center is located on the campus of Finlandia University at 435 Quincy Street in Hancock.

For more information, call 906-487-7505.

Inset: Photo of Lillian Lehto courtesy Finlandia University.

15th Annual Sibelius Academy Music Festival to feature accordionist, jazz/folk ensemble Sept. 22-27

HANCOCK --  Finlandia University will present the 15th annual Sibelius Academy Music Festival from Sunday, Sept. 22, to Friday, Sept. 27, 2013, in metropolitan Chicago and the western Upper Peninsula.

This year’s festival features classical/contemporary accordionist Ari Lehtonen, a doctoral student at the Sibelius Academy. Ari’s performance program includes the keyboard music of J.S. Bach, works by contemporary Finnish composers, and compositions by Argentine nuevo tango composer Ástor Piazzolla (1921-1992).

Ari Lehtonen, accordionist, will perform classical and contemporary music at this year's Sibelius Academy Music Festival. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

Lehtonen has performed as a soloist with the Tapiola Sinfonietta, the Finnish RSO, and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra. He has held recitals in Finland, Russia, Spain, Serbia, and Venezuela. In 2007, in Spain, he was awarded first prize in the prestigious Arrasate Hiria accordion competition. He has premiered works by contemporary Finnish composers Tiina Myllärinen and Mikko Nisula.

"I come from a family of non-musicians, but where music was always appreciated, supported, and many kinds of it listened to," Lehtonen says. "My grandfather played the accordion in a dance band and he was my very first inspiration to start playing. When I was a kid, it was of course very nice to play together with him."

The focus of Lehtonen’s doctoral studies is Bach’s keyboard music.

"As an institution, Sibelius Academy is of course full of history and prestige, and it was one of the first university level schools where classical accordion could be studied," Lehtonen notes. "The school has some of the best teachers in the world, so it is really a privilege to be able to study there."

The festival also features the ensemble "August Saarinen and Vuolas Virta," a jazz/folk quintet that pays tribute to the "king of Finnish tango" Olavi Virta (1915-1972). The musicians are Joonas Mikkilä, Juho Vanamo, Matias Mäntyranta, Miiko Renfors, and Joonas Tuhkanen.

The ensemble "August Saarinen and Vuolas Virta" will perform jazz and folk music at the Sibelius Academy Music Festival.

Juho Vanamo, aka August Saarinen, was born in Turku, Finland, in 1988. He started playing piano at age eight.

"My older brother was my inspiration to take up singing, and my parents gently forced me to take up piano lessons when I was younger," Vanamo says. "Nowadays, I feel really grateful for that. It’s wonderful to have an opportunity to do what you do best, and make a living out of it, too."

Vanamo graduated from Turku Conservatory in 2009, majoring in classical piano with a minor in classical singing. In 2010, he began studying music education at the Sibelius Academy, where he met most of his fellow players in August Saarinen and Vuolas Virta.

The members of the folk/jazz quintet, August Saarinen and Vuolus Virta, all agree that the Sibelius Academy is a "status symbol" for a good musician in Finland. "When you introduce yourself as a Sibelius student, it’s 'guaranteed' that you really can play," they collectively note.

The festival’s series of concerts and events begins Sunday, Sept. 22, with an afternoon performance of both acts at the Estonian House of Chicago, Riverwoods, Ill.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 1:15 p.m., the students at Negaunee (Michigan) High School will enjoy a special Sibelius Festival performance in the high school’s auditorium. The concert is open to the public; tickets are $5.

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, a free Meet the Musicians event will be presented at the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock. The musicians will discuss their lives as musicians and present informal performances.

On Thursday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m., accordionist Ari Lehtonen will present a concert at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Hancock. A freewill offering at the concert will benefit Finlandia University music programs.

Also on Thursday, Sept. 26, the first-ever Sibelius Festival folk dance starts at 7 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center. The dance features live music by the festival musicians. Tickets are $10; Finlandia students attend free.

The final concert is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Calumet Theatre. Both the accordionist and the jazz/folk quintet will present performances. Tickets are $15; $5 for students; Finlandia students attend free.

Concert and event tickets are available at North Wind Books, Hancock; online at http://finlandia-university.ticketleap.com; and at the door prior to the performances.

For more information, call 906-487-7250 or visit www.finlandia.edu/sibelius.

WUPPDR to hold Annual Meeting Sept. 30 in Ironwood

HOUGHTON -- The Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) will hold its 45th Annual Meeting at Tacconelli's, 215 S. Suffolk St., Ironwood, on Monday, Sept. 30. 

WUPPDR's regular business meeting will take place at 4:30 pm (CST). A buffet dinner ($15 charge) will begin at 5:30 p.m. (CST) and will include presentations by two keynote speakers: J.R. Richardson, Chair of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC), will present on recent business to come before the Commission; and Don Helsel, President of MI-TRALE, will present on the Western Upper Peninsula's ATV trail network. The program will conclude with a presentation of WUPPDR's Oreste "Chip" Chiantello Public Service Award to an individual demonstrating a long-time commitment serving the public.

A slate of local, regional, State and Federal officials, also including private sector individuals, will attend; and the general public is welcome. Persons planning to attend must RSVP by Monday, Sept. 23, 2013. An invitation to do so is available at the www.wuppdr.org homepage. For a printed invitation or more information, contact WUPPDR at (800) 562-7614 ext. 311.

Carnegie Museum to hold Third Annual Night at the Museum Sept. 21

HOUGHTON -- The Carnegie Museum will hold its Third Annual Night at the Museum from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. TOMORROW, Saturday, Sept. 21.

Take a Red Jacket Trolley ride and trace the ruins of Houghton's Isle Royale Mine. Enjoy gourmet sweets and savories, local beer, wine and a silent auction at the museum.

Tickets are $25. Choose your trolley tour time -- 4 p.m., 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. -- when you purchase your tickets. Tickets are available at Carnegie Museum, Houghton City Center, or at the Door. (Tickets sold at the door are not guaranteed a trolley tour.)

All proceeds from Night at the Museum benefit museum restoration, exhibits, and programs.

While you're there, check out three current exhibits:

"Last Days of Italian Hall: Photographs of Calumet's Italian Hall 1981-1988" by local photographer Eric Munch

Photographer Eric Munch speaks at the Aug. 13, 2013, opening of his exhibit, "Last Days of Italian Hall," at the Carnegie Museum. The exhibit is a series of 21 photographs Munch took of Italian Hall before, during, and after its 1984 demolition. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)
  
Family Ties: Memorials to Those Lost in the 1913 Italian Hall Tragedy, by the Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society

Forty-nine families lost loved ones in the Dec. 24, 1913, Italian Hall Tragedy. The Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society wondered what became of those families and decided to trace the history, before and after the tragedy, of each family. Here are some samples of their memorials:

Memorial for Katarina Gregorich of Centennial Heights, who was 10 years old when she perished in the Italian Hall disaster.

Photos of the Heikkinen family, who lost three sons in the Italian Hall tragedy on Dec. 24, 1913. The youngest of the three, Edwin, was born on Dec. 24 and was about to celebrate his seventh birthday.

An excerpt from the story of the Heikkinen family.

Historic photo, "The Italian Hall in Mourning, the Next Day After Disaster," by J.W. Nara, part of the Michigan Tech Archives and Copper Country Historical collections.

Finnish American Buildings and Landscapes in Michigan's Copper Country. Photographs by Ryan Holt, with Historical Narrative by Arnold R. Alanen.

Sauna of the Erkkila family at Big Traverse Bay fishing settlement. This sauna, with a fish smokehouse on the right and a net reel in the background, was part of the fishing enterprise established by Ernest Erkkila in the 1920s and continued by his sons Reino and Edwin into the 1980s.

The Maronen Log School, now in Alston, made of unusually large, hand-hewn logs. From the Laird Township Historical Society Museum, which is currently not open to the public. 

These are just a few examples from the Carnegie Museum's current exhibits. See all at the Carnegie's Night at the Museum tomorrow, Sept. 21!

Painesdale Mine and Shaft, Inc., to hold ceremony commemorating 1913-1914 Copper Range Miners Strike Sept. 21

PAINESDALE -- Painesdale Mine and Shaft, Inc., will commemorate the 1913-1914 Copper Range Miners Strike with a Memorial Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, in the Albert Paine Memorial United Methodist Church, 54385 Iroquois Street, Painesdale.

The event is free and open to the public.

Several violent incidents occurred in the Painesdale area during the 1913-14 Strike, including the Seeberville murders, the Dally-Jane murders and clashes between the Citizens Alliance and the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) union.

This is a photo of the Putrich Boarding House, site of the Seeberville murders that occurred on Aug. 14, 2013. A group of Waddell strikebreakers, hired by the Copper Range mining company, had followed two striking Croatian mine workers to the house and ended up shooting at the unarmed residents. Steve Putrich (brother of Joseph Putrich, the Croatian landlord) and 18-year-old Alois Tijan (also referred to as Louis) were killed; several residents of the boarding house were wounded. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech Archives)

Another violent incident in this area -- the Dally-Jane murders -- happened in the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 7, 1913, at the Dally Boarding House in Painesdale, whose residents were Cornish. Shots fired into the house killed brothers Arthur and Harry Jane and Thomas Dally (non-union miners) and seriously wounded Mary Nicholson.

The Dally Boarding House in Painesdale, site of the Dally-Jane murders on Dec. 7, 1913. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech Archives)

The tentative schedule of events for the Commemoration Ceremony is as follows:
Albert Paine Memorial United Methodist Church:
Doors Open - 10:30 a. m.
Ceremony Begins - 11 a. m.
Invocation - Minister Mary Laub
Presentation of the Colors - VFW Ranger Post #6165
Pledge of Allegiance - All
Star Spangled Banner - All
Introductory Remarks
Speaker - Scott Dianda, State Representative 110th District
Speaker - Gary Kaunonen, Author and Historian
Public Testimonials
Benediction - Minister Mary Laub
Taps
Tribute to Our Heritage
Refreshments and cake in the basement

Free tours of Champion No. 4 Shafthouse, Captain’s Office, and Hoist Building  available one-half hour after the Ceremony

Maps of Historical Painesdale available.

"Singing Weaver" Nadine Sanders to present concert, weaving workshop at Calumet Art Center

CALUMET -- The Calumet Art Center will present Nadine Sanders, the singing weaver, in a concert titled "Spinning Straw into Gold: Woven Harmonies" at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, in the Art Center's Performance Hall. Tickets are $7.

Nadine Sanders, the singing weaver, will present a concert Sept. 21 and a weaving workshop Sept. 20, 21 and 22 at the Calumet Art Center. (Photo courtesy Calumet Art Center)

Midwestern artist Nadine Sanders enjoys blending her love of Celtic music with her joy of weaving. She sings about all aspects of her rural roots. A talented performer and teacher, Sanders has presented workshops and concerts across the U.S. and Scotland.

In addition to Saturday's concert, Sanders will offer a "Weaving that Sings" workshop from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20, 21 and 22. This workshop will be open to the public. All levels of weavers are welcome. You will learn the inlay technique for wall-hanging, fabric or rug weaving -- as well as how to add design. Nadine will need to know what type of warp the student wants to work with: wall-hanging, rug, or fabric sample.

The class fee is $210. Materials fee is $25.

To obtain more information and to sign up for this workshop contact the Calumet Art Center at (906) 934-2228 or (906) 281-3494 or email info@calumetartcenter.com.

This fall the Calumet Art Center is offering a variety of classes including fiber, clay, voice, violin, piano and more. Click here to learn about the classes or visit http://calumetartcenter.com/. The Calumet Art Center is located at 57055 Fifth Street.

Reception for Kickstarter fundraiser to support dance drama about 1913 Copper Miners' Strike is Sept. 21

On Aug. 17, 2013, members of the cast of For They Are Women's Children, an original dance drama depicting scenes from the 1913 Copper Miners' Strike, participate in the Copper Country Heritage Parade in Calumet. Pictured here in the role of "Big Annie" carrying the flag is Anna Daavettila, a senior at Houghton High School, who will be the lead dancer in the performance, which will be presented Oct. 25 and 27 in the Calumet Theatre. Carrying the banner announcing the show are Cynthia and Joseph Daavettila, Anna's parents, followed by young dancers in the cast. In addition to Director and Choreographer Donna Armistead's Superior School of Dance students, young dancers from Bonnie Hafeman's Girl Scout troop and the Kivajat Dancers will participate in the performance. The Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's is in the background of the photo. (Photo © and courtesy Joanne Thomas)

HANCOCK -- The Copper Island Beach Club in Hancock will host a Kickstarter reception in support of the fundraiser for the original dance drama For They Are Women's Children from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21. Meet the producers, cast and crew and learn about this project. A cash bar and hors d'oeuvres will be provided.

For They Are Women’s Children, a contemporary dance-drama featuring original choreography by Donna Armistead and an original musical score by composer Robin Oye, will receive its world premiere at the Calumet Theater Oct. 25, 2013.  Featuring musicians and dancers from the local community, it depicts episodes in the daily lives of miners and their families during the 1913 Copper Miners' Strike, culminating in the Italian Hall tragedy on Christmas Eve when seventy-three people -- including fifty-nine children -- lost their lives.

The ballet’s aim is to personalize the struggles of working people in prewar Calumet and its environs through the medium of original music and dance. Theatregoers will have the opportunity to see and hear the premiere of a unique theatrical work evoking the will and determination characteristic of Copper Country residents who persevered despite ethnic strife, enmity and bitterness in the face of hardship and tragedy.

Director Donna Armistead is an independent choreographer and stage director who makes her home in Jacobsville, Mich. Formerly a soloist/principal dancer with several regional ballet companies, she was for eleven years artistic director of the Superior School of Dance, Houghton/Hancock, where she is still a member of the faculty. Her choreographic work has been featured locally in productions of the Michigan Tech Theatre, Pine Mountain Music Festival and Calumet Players as well as her former company, Lake Superior Dance Theatre.

A resident of Keweenaw County, Robin Oye is a flutist, composer and music educator whose work has been featured in stage productions at Finlandia University and Michigan Tech's McArdle Theatre. He will conduct a four-piece orchestra for the current production.

The cast will feature some of Armistead’s students in principal roles, supported by local youth and adult community members. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27. For ticket information call the Calumet Theatre box office at (906) 337-2610.

Although the Calumet Theatre is kindly providing some in-kind technical support, they were unable to obtain a performance grant for the project. Therefore, all funds raised by this project will support musician stipends, simple sets and costuming, and rental of rehearsal space.

The Kickstarter fundraiser has a goal of $4000 to be raised between now and Oct. 16, 2013. To see a video clip about the project and learn how you can pledge support online, click here.

Michigan Tech's Khana Khazana to offer South Korean cuisine Sept. 20

HOUGHTON -- South Korean delicacies cooked by Young Bin Na are on the Khana Khazana menu this Friday at Michigan Tech. They include mixed noodles with vegetables, Korean fried chicken coated with a sweet and spicy sauce and Korean cucumber, a spicy kimchi made with cucumber instead of cabbage.

The food will be served in the Memorial Union Food Court on campus from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. A full meal costs $6.95 and includes a fountain drink. Individual items are $2.50 each. Vegetarian alternatives are available.

Khana Khazana is a weekly international lunch cooked and served by international students. It is a collaborative effort of international students and Michigan Tech Dining Services.

Local citizens to join National Day of Action against Keystone XL tar sands pipeline with Sept. 21 protest in Marquette

More than 40,000 people march on Feb. 17, 2013, in Washington D.C. during "Forward on Climate," the largest climate protest in history. On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, the protest will be nationwide -- a National Day of Action to demand that President Obama  deny the permit for Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. (File photos by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)*

MARQUETTE -- Upper Peninsula residents will have an opportunity to participate in the Sept. 21, 2013, National Day of Action -- part of the national campaign to demand that President Obama deny the permit for Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

Concerned citizens will gather at noon on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 307 S. Front Street, Marquette (in front of U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek's office), to "Draw the Line to Protect the Great Lakes" in opposition to the pipeline.

The National Call to Action, called "Draw the Line," features scores of creative events, with large rallies planned in areas already affected by climate change and places at risk from climate chaos if strong action, such as limiting tar sands development, is not taken. A full list of events and photos, as well as a short video about the movement against Keystone and the reason for the Call to Action, are available at http://350.org/DrawTheLine.

Bill McKibben, climate activist and founder of 350.org, addresses the crowd at the July 14, 2013, rally in Bridge View Park near St. Ignace, Mich., and the Mackinac Bridge. The rally was organized by the Traverse City chapter of 350.org to call attention to Enbridge's aging pipelines under the Straits of Mackinac.**

Heidi Gould, a Marquette city resident, states she was compelled to respond when she read in the Mining Journal, "[Congressman] Benishek said he doesn't see why the U.P. can't have the Keystone pipeline come down from Canada, which he says would provide many area jobs and might lower gas prices, as well."*** She was informed by another activist about the 350.org invitation to host a Day of Action to "Draw the Line" to show opposition to the proposed pipeline.

In his Aug. 19, 2013, presentation at a town hall meeting in Hancock, Michigan First District U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek speaks about the need for job creation. After his talk, Keweenaw Now attempted to ask him about his views on climate change (since he has been heard to deny it), but he said he didn't have time to answer since he had to leave immediately for another meeting in Negaunee. A few minutes later he was being interviewed by a T.V. reporter.***

"The timing was intriguing! Not only do we need to let the President know that we don’t want the pipeline but our congressional representative needs to understand the vitality of the Great Lakes and we need to do everything we can to protect them," Gould says.

While President Obama considers Keystone XL’s fate, opposition to the pipeline and the tar sands oil it would carry has continued to grow. Over 1,500 people have already been arrested to stop Keystone XL, and on February 17 over 40,000 people came to Washington to tell the President that Keystone XL is not in the national interest. Credo Mobile, Other 98 Percent and Rainforest Action Network have collected pledges from over 75,000 people who are willing to risk arrest to stop the pipeline. A diverse coalition of environmentalists, inner-city residents living near refineries, and rural landowners have come together to oppose the pipeline’s southern leg in Texas as well.

During the Nov. 6, 2011, protest against the Keystone XL Pipeline in Washington, D. C., protesters march with a long mock pipeline around the White House, chanting "Soil not oil" and "Yes, we will -- stop the Pipeline." (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)****

Pipeline opponents were heartened by President Obama’s comments about Keystone XL at his June 25 Georgetown climate speech, when he said he would oppose the pipeline if it would "significantly" increase greenhouse gas emission.

Independent analysts, environmentalists, and the tar sands industry all agree that Keystone XL will increase emissions. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has estimated increasing production from their 3.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2012 to 6.7 million bpd by 2030.*****

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), over the project’s 50-year timeline, Keystone XL would add between 935 million and 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon pollution to our atmosphere, significantly increasing carbon pollution. ******

For more information about the Sept. 21 protest in Marquette email Heidi Gould at heidigould2003@yahoo.com or call (906)226-0102.

Notes:

* Click here to read the Feb. 25, 2013, article, "Keystone Pipeline protest: over 40,000 people in freezing cold," by Shirley Galbraith, with photos by Allan Baker. Click here for the videos.

** See our July 22, 2013, article, "Videos, photos: 'Oil and Water Don't Mix' rally draws hundreds concerned about Great Lakes .

*** See the Aug. 20, 2013, Mining Journal article, "Benishek town hall focuses on jobs, health insurance," about his town hall meeting in Negaunee on Aug. 19, which followed the meeting in Hancock. To both audiences he expressed his opposition to federal government regulation and especially the EPA.

**** See our Nov. 11, 2011, article, "Houghton couple report on DC protest against Keystone XL Pipeline, Tar Sands oil."

***** See Reuters: "UPDATE 2-Canadian oil output to more than double by 2030 -study."

****** See NRDC's July 2013 "White Paper: Climate Impacts from the Proposed Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline."

Levin floor statement on agreement to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons

[Editor's Note: U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Michigan), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, gave this speech on the floor of the Senate today, Sept. 17, 2013]

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- Mr. President, I want to say a brief word about yesterday’s tragic and senseless violence at the Washington Navy Yard. The men and women who help protect our nation, those in uniform and the thousands of civilians who serve the Department of Defense, make enormous sacrifices for us. Facing a workplace gunman should not have to be one of them. Those who have died or been wounded and their families and loved ones are in our thoughts and our hearts today.

I come to the floor this morning to discuss another act of senseless violence, and our nation’s response. In the early morning hours of August 21, the Syrian military began firing artillery rockets into the suburbs east of Damascus, hitting neighborhoods held by the opposition forces that have been fighting to end the brutal dictatorship of Bashar al Assad. We know from the accounts of independent observers such as Human Rights Watch, and the work of our intelligence services and those of our allies, that many of these rockets were armed with warheads carrying sarin, a deadly nerve gas. We know that these rockets were launched from areas under the control of Assad’s regime, using munitions known to be part of Assad’s arsenal, and into areas held by opposition forces. We know from the report of UN weapons inspectors released yesterday that the weapons used -- both the rockets and the chemical itself -- were of professional manufacture, including weapons known to be in Syria’s government arsenal. There is no other source of this deadly gas except the Syrian government. Nothing else makes any sense whatsoever.

President Obama declared that the United States would act in response to this threat to global security. He determined it was necessary to use American military force to degrade Assad’s chemical capability and deter future use of such weapons by Assad or others. He did so because a failure to act would weaken the international prohibition on chemical weapons use. He did so because the failure to act could lead to greater proliferation of these weapons of mass destruction, including the potential that they could fall into the hands of terrorists and be used against our people. He did so because if the use of chemical weapons becomes routine, our troops could pay a huge price in future conflicts. On September 4, a bipartisan majority of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the president’s request for an authorization of the limited use of military force.

Faced with this credible threat of the use of force and in response to a diplomatic probe by Secretary Kerry, Russia -- which had for more than two years blocked every diplomatic initiative to hold Assad accountable for the violent repression of his people -- announced that Assad’s chemical arsenal should be eliminated.

The agreement that followed requires Syria to give up its chemical arsenal on a historically rapid timetable. ...

Click here to read the rest of Sen. Levin's speech.

Workshop on Mini Grants Program for art projects to be Sept. 18 in Ontonagon

ONTONAGON -- An informational workshop on the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) Mini Grants Program will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Ontonagon Theater of Performing Arts in Ontonagon. The workshop is free and open to the public.

The Copper Country Community Arts Council (CCCAC) is the region thirteen administrator for the Regional Re-granting program of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The CCCAC facilitates funding opportunities for arts projects in the six counties of the Western Upper Peninsula: Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Ontonagon, Gogebic and Iron.

Mini grants provide up to $4,000 for locally developed, high quality arts projects, which provide special opportunities to address local arts needs and increase public access to the arts. Mini grants support a broad range of artistic expression from all cultures through projects which preserve, produce or present traditional and contemporary arts.

Mini-grant dollars, matched 1:1 in cash/in-kind can be used for many types of arts activities such as exhibits, readings, performances, workshops, broadcasts, artist residencies, consultancies, commissions, restorations, festivals, pow wows, conferences, seminars, video and film productions and screenings, publications, and arts activities for students.

A new grant program for Professional and Organizational Development makes funding available for training courses, consultants, conference fees and related travel. Organizations or individual artists may apply for up to $1500. A 25 percent cash/in-kind match is required.

The deadline for application is 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2013. All applications must be submitted online using the e-grant system (mcaca.egrant.net). Funding is for projects taking place January 1 through September 30, 2014. Application guidelines are available on line at http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Arts/Grant-Programs/. For more information or technical assistance contact Cynthia Coté, regranting coordinator, at (906) 482-2333 or e-mail cynthia@coppercountryarts.com.

Portage Library to host two healthy eating events

HOUGHTON -- Portage Lake District Library will be hosting two events related to healthy eating this week: the Gluten-Free Recipe Exchange on Monday, Sept. 16, and the Summer's Bounty Social on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Gluten-Free Recipe Exchange to meet Sept. 16 at Portage Library

A meeting of the Gluten-Free Recipe Exchange will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, at the Portage Lake District Library.

Participants are invited to bring their favorite gluten-free dish or snack in any category for sampling, and they are encouraged to share their recipes. Copies of the recipes will be made at the library. Please list all ingredients used in making foods and identify the brand names of the gluten-free ingredients. Bringing food is not a requirement for attendance. The main focus of the meeting will be to join the conversation about eating a healthy gluten-free diet.

The Gluten-Free Recipe Exchange is organized by and for those who are interested in or required to follow a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free eating requires the avoidance of all wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Most people find it challenging at first, but are excited to find recipes and foods that are fun and easy to make and tasty to eat. The Gluten-Free Recipe Exchange is an opportunity to share those great recipes and learn from others. Everyone who is interested in learning more about gluten-free eating is encouraged to attend.

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

Friends of Portage Library to host Summer's Bounty Social Sept. 17

The Friends of the Portage Lake District Library invite everyone to bring their appetites and favorite summer dishes to share for an evening of good eating among good friends.

The Summer’s Bounty Social will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the library. For this potluck event, people are asked to bring their favorite dish made from locally available fruits or vegetables. Foods can be fresh or frozen, sweet or savory, and hot or cold. If participants want to share their recipe, copies for all can be made at the library.

Community garden members and local producers who want to participate may set up a display with information about their project or business.

Please contact Chris at the library for more details.

Door prizes featuring local food products will be given away throughout the evening. Guests will enjoy an arrangement of summertime music, and table service and beverages will be provided by the Friends of the Library.

Everyone is invited to this free event. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.