| City
Notes
Edited
by Tyler R. Tichelaar
Mailbox
Dear editor
Is Marquette County the next Appalachia?
This month marks forty years I’ve lived in Marquette’s historic east side. I remember waking up to the grinding, cranking sound of the old coal dock at the Lower Harbor, and wiping its detritus off the porch rail and our car. I remember the peace that descended over our town when it was gone.
Always, I’ve noticed the parallels between Marquette County and the place where I was born and raised: the coal-mining country of West Virginia. But until now, this iron range has had an advantage. Compared to the poisonous “gob piles” from deep mining and the horrific destruction of “mountaintop removal,” the footprints of Cleveland Cliffs’ iron operations seemed relatively light upon the land.
But when I heard of Rio Tinto/Kennecott’s “Eagle Project,” I began to be seriously worried, and when I read the advertisement in last month’s Marquette Monthly that reprinted Rio Tinto’s and British Petroleum’s plans for “clean carbon” energy, I knew I had even greater reason for my concern.
Cliffs is an American Corporation. But the company that killed twenty-eight miners in West Virginia this April is not. Massey Coal is British, as are Rio Tinto and BP. And the companies that have been systematically wrecking the ecosystems of Appalachia, while making sure the citizens are wholly dependent on an extractive economy, are mostly foreign, also.
This latest collusion between Rio Tinto and BP is not made out of the goodness of their CEO’s hearts. They have seen the handwriting in the science. Earth is warming. Ice caps are melting. We must reduce our carbon footprint and move to alternative energies. But these wealthy corporations want to wring the last dollars out of the old, dirty energy sources.
Therefore, they are pushing “coal gasification” for so-called “clean” energy, in order to continue one of the most destructive mining practices ever invented, “mountaintop removal,” which blasts the entire tops from mountains and pushes the overburden into the hollows, burying rivers and streams in unstable rock and clay that will pollute what is left of the watershed, and can, during heavy rains in rugged terrain, bury towns under mudslides.
Engineers and environmentalists deplore this practice that already has destroyed more than 500 mountains and buried countless streams. Many people want this destruction to be outlawed. But BP, Rio Tinto, and multinational coal companies don’t care about what they leave behind.
If they can fool people into thinking that ripping up three whole states to mine out that last bit of “black gold” is “environmentally friendly,” then they will squeeze every last dollar out of West Virginia, Kentucky and Southern Pennsylvania, leaving a wasteland that will never recover, and unstable spoil banks that threaten entire towns.
Sadly, the coal they are getting amounts to only about ten percent of America’s coal output, according to a recent article in the New York Times, yielding just five percent of our electricity. Yet the companies argue that it is “absolutely essential” to America, that we cannot do without it, despite the environmental destruction to the most varied ecosystem in North America. The vital element they are fighting for is their own profit.
Rio Tinto/Kennecott will be no exception in their operations here. Multinationals, protected by their status as multinationals, always have their home governments to fall back on. Remember, BP’s fiasco in the Gulf was touted as endangering our relations with Great Britain, if America protested too much. West Virginia, too, has strong mining laws, but cannot truly enforce them.
Because that profit is paramount, more important than all other considerations, and huge in relation to the investment, and because local governments do get taxes and other benefits from extractive industry, the environment actually is poorly protected, even by laws that look strong. Neither are the lives of miners protected.
Massey Coal had 300 safety violations on record for the mine that blew in April, none of which had been corrected when the methane exploded. Yes, the mine had been inspected. Yes, the violations, especially for ventilation, were known. No, the penalties imposed by the State were not high enough to make even a small dent in the company’s profits, so the company ignored them.
If such direct loss of human life plus penalties, combined with a hundred-year history of similar disasters, will not motivate a multinational to take simple safety precautions such as installing more ventilation fans, (or to build an oil rig to industry standards), it is unlikely that such a corporation will be motivated by the indirect collateral damage of climbing cancer rates caused by the leeching of heavy metals into groundwater.
Now such a multinational is operating here, in this “Last, best place.” It is starting out like all the other industrial disasters: supposedly Michigan has enacted strong environmental laws, but the data that prove the mine and its successors are safe for its employees and for we who live here are supplied wholly by the company. No independent investigations have been done, and Kennecott is free to pick and choose only those data that make its choices look acceptable .
I love this place precisely because it has the wilderness values of my home state: the quiet, the woods, the wildlife, and the lakes, big and small, plus the rushing streams I’ve always loved.
Better yet, until now, it was less spoiled.
But I fear that soon, like the people of Appalachia, we here will be captives of the multinationals, grateful for what looks like good money, and willing to live with higher cancer rates and rivers that look like a stream I know in West Virginia, which runs clear but lifeless. The same sulfuric acid that can leech from sulfide mines comes also from coal waste. That stream has no algae, no crawdads, no minnows. It is dead.
Lillian Heldreth, Marquette
Dear editor
I was infuriated and saddened by Don Curto’s July column. In addition to the uninformed commentary about Silk soy milk, the article attacked the quality and pricing of Guindon Farms beef products, a local farm in Cornell. Curto himself refers to the farm as “a quite famous U.P. beef farm” before he begins his diatribe against them. Though Curto may not have enjoyed his meal, it appears quite obvious that others are greatly enjoying Guindon beef. How else can one explain how a small U.P. family farm managed, without its own advertising campaign, became referred to as famous?
What Guindon Farms has become famous for is its beautiful farm, delicious food and friendly service. The price of its meat reflects the care that was put into raising its animals. Curto’s complaint reflects a larger societal issue—that we all have become far too accustomed to paying too little for meat. Inexpensive meat is the result of unsustainable factory farms. These factories produce cheap meat, but at the expense of public health, the well-being of the animals, and the environment. Matt and Barb Guindon represent the opposition to factory farming. They are dedicated to raising their animals humanely and providing quality products to the community. The customers who come to their booth at the Downtown Marquette Farmers and Artists Market are certainly not, as Curto suggested, all “very rich.” The customers of Guindon Farms reflect what is wonderful about the market in general—that people of all ages, incomes, and walks of life shop there.
To these loyal customers who recognize that the money they spend with local farmers is money well spent—thank you. I also send my gratitude to all the restaurants in Marquette that are supporting local farms, Guindon or otherwise. Not only do your diners get to eat sustainably raised food, a rare opportunity in the U.P. restaurant scene, but you support our lo cal economy in an important way. Sadly, it appears Curto prefers meat from the four multinational companies that produce the majority of the meat sold in the United States.
To those who have never tasted Guindon Farms meat, I encourage you to ignore Don Curto’s review and try it for yourself. They are at the Downtown Marquette Farmers & Artists Market every Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at 112 South Third Street. (The Commons, across the street from Marquette Wallpaper & Paint). Barb Guindon always is willing to give advice on how best to prepare each cut of meat, a service it sounds like Don Curto should have utilized.
Sarah Monte, market master
Downtown Marquette Farmers & Artists
Dear editor
The Superior Watershed Partnership would like to thank everyone who attended the wine tasting fundraiser at the Presque Pavilion in June. The evening couldn’t have been more perfect for a party along the shore of Lake Superior. Through this event, the SWP was successful in raising a portion of the necessary funds for community and youth programs. These programs wouldn’t be possible without the support of our members and supporters, many of whom were in attendance that evening to sample the newest of summer wines. However, our work is never done and the funding always is needed. The SWP is a nonprofit organization that depends on support from the communities where we work. The evening featured a selection of wines from Everyday Wines and cheese from Huron Earth Deli. Other partners who helped make the evening possible include Slow Food Central Upper Peninsula and the DeVos Art Museum.
The SWP would like to thank Peter Claybaker and the Marquette Baking Company for donating bread and Thill’s Fish House for donating smoked Lake Superior fish. The SWP thanks Garden Bouquet and Design for donating the floral arrangements made with local flowers from Honeydale Farms.
This summer is proving to be a hot one, and as we all appreciate the cold waters of Lake Superior, the SWP hopes people who care about this resource will consider becoming a member to support the SWP’s ongoing programs. Become a member at www.superiorwatersheds.org
Natasha Koss, program coordinator
Superior Watershed Partnership
Dear editor
Thanks to all who participated in the recent planning sessions for Downtown Marquette. Lots of input gathered during planning sessions provided direction for future projects and activities. A recurring theme anytime downtown planning occurs is parking. A goal for the future of downtown parking is to work toward more comprehensive parking management and more efficient use of surface parking lots. Historic signage, wayfinding signage, kiosks and entry signage were suggested by participants.
Improving street presence with more sidewalk cafes, public art and increased amenities such as benches, trash cans and bike racks was recommended. The restoration of the Bluff Street parking structure, towers and adjacent property will be a priority. Targeted future projects include improvements to West Baraga Avenue to involve narrowing the street, undergrounding utilities, widening the sidewalks, and improving access to parking. Improvements to Jackson Cut Alley, East Washington Street, possible expansion of the Farmers and Artist Market facility and operations, working with the owners of the Delft Theater for rehabilitation of their facades, and continuing to work toward increasing affordable housing in and adjacent to the downtown were also addressed as future needs. Expanded partnerships with private property owners and developers to identify future development and enhancement opportunities also was addressed. Collaboration with business areas adjacent to the district was identified as an important goal. Support of events and cultural activities was recognized as central to the overall continued vitality of the district. The Downtown Development Authority Board and director will be working to provide information to the community as we work toward a revised development plan. A draft plan is anticipated to be complete in late September, at which time it will be shared at public sessions. The final document is anticipated to be presented to the City Commission in  early December 2010. We look forward to continuing to work toward helping make Marquette remain a truly Distinctive Destination.
Mona Lang
Street Beat shall return
Due to computer problems at the Marquette City Police Department, Street Beat, our quarterly column showing crime statistics for the City of Marquette could not be published this quarter. We are hoping to include Street Beat in the November issue of MM. Below are the crime statistics from NMU and the domestic violence numbers from the Harbor House for April, May and June 2010.
• NMU: breaking and entering, 2; larceny, 13; larceny from a motor vehicle, 2.
• Harbor House: crisis calls, 1,579; outreach clients, 140; resident clients; 66; shelter nights, 964.
Raffle to benefit Phoenix Church restoration
Raffle tickets are on sale for a painting of the Phoenix Church by Linden Dahlstrom. Help preserve this historic church in the Keweenaw by purchasing one ticket for $5 or three tickets for $10.
Tickets are available at the Phoenix Store and from Louise Marta by calling 337-2378. The drawing will be held at the Keweenaw Historical Society’s annual dinner at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor on September 26. You need not be present to win.
Visit www.keweenawhistory.org for details.
Finn Hall Band to perform in Covington Pavilion
The Covington Parks & Recreation Committee, in collaboration with U.P. Ethnic Music Alliance, presents a special evening of music and dancing from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. on August 3 in the Covington Pavilion & Event Center.
The event features the Finlandia Foundation’s perfor mers of the year, Finn Hall Band. There will be a free-will offering with a suggested $10 donation.
Ralph Tuttila will present a Tango Workshop at 5:30 p.m. for a $5 fee. Burgers and hot dogs will be available or bring something to grill. Grounds will be open at 5:00 p.m. for picnicking.
Call Randy Seppala 355-2459 for details.
Marquette County’s Gearing up for National Night Out
Party hosts for National Night Out, an annual community celebration, are sought for this year’s event. The Marquette County National Night Out committee is accepting registrations for neighborhood parties, scheduled for the week of August 2 to 8. This year National Night Out is celebrated on August 3.
Residents are encouraged to host parties in their neighborhoods to help improve community ties. Law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency service workers also take an active role by visiting the parties and answering home security and general safety questions.
Last year, twenty-one different parties throughout the county were attended by about 2,600 people. Some of the larger parties were hosted by area churches, while many were smaller neighborhood or block party events.
Those interested in hosting a party can stop by their local law enforcement agency or call the Triad office at 226-4184 to receive a registration form. Once registered, each party host will receive a packet of information including sample invitations, party suggestions, small giveaways, and informational handouts. To learn more about participating in this year’s National Night Out, call the Triad office at 226-4184.
Maritime memories offered in cemetery walk fundraiser
During Maritime Month, enjoy a stroll through Marquette’s Park Cemetery at 6:30 p.m. on August 4 and listen to the fascinating stories of ship captains, dock builders, lighthouse keepers and fishermen.
Listen to a sailor’s ballad or two. A $5 donation is suggested to support future programming at the Marquette County History Museum. Meet at the cemetery main gate. For details, call 226-3571 or visit www.marquettecohistory.org
Percussion Ensemble set for August 5 at commons
A percussion ensemble performance will be held at the Marquette Commons at 5:00 p.m. on August 5. This percussive concert is the culmination of Carrie Biolo’s Percussive Attack Camp (PAC), held August 2 through 5 in Marquette.
PAC is designed to teach rhythm through sound and music—percussive attack sounds, a new edge on rhythm. Percussion musicians range from seventh grade through adult.
A full description of Percussive Attack Camp can be found at www.moontress.com/PAC or by calling Biolo at 228-4233.
Page Five quintet to play in women’s clubhouse
The Page Five Woodwind Quintet (plus one) presents an Evening of Chamber Music for Winds and Piano at 7:00 p.m. on August 6 in the Marquette Federated Women’s Clubhouse at 104 West Ridge Street.
The group will present a free concert of chamber music featuring works for various combinations of the above instruments by composers from Hungary, England, France, Chile and the United States. Refreshments will be served.
North Star needs volunteer workers for project
North Star Academy is seeking forty to fifty community volunteers to install new playground equipment from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on August 7. Lunch will be provided.
Volunteers are asked to bring a ratchet wrench and various other tools. Call for details.
Children will not be allowed in the construction area. Child care will be provided, but those who can secure their own are appreciated.
For details, call 228-4513 in advance.
Club Indigo offers golden oldies film in August
Club Indigo features the last of the summer series in golden oldies—Charlie Chaplin in his first talky (and very likely his best): The Great Dictator. He plays two opposing roles to perfection, that of the German dictator and a pathetically poor Jewish fellow suffering under the dictator’s dictums.
The August 13 event will include a German buffet from the Calumet Miscowabik Club at 6:00 p.m., followed by the movie at 7:15 p.m. Call the Calumet Theatre in advance for seating at the buffet: 337-2610.
Cost for both is $18. Cost for the movie only is $5. A discount is offered for children.
Civil War encampment scheduled in Negaunee
From cannons, costumes, and demonstrations to music, actors, and kids games, a two-day Civil War encampment at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee Township will offer something for everyone interested in the “War Between the States.” Highlighting the August 14 through 15 event will be artillery demonstrations and a not-to-be-missed visit by “President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln” portrayed by Fred and Bonnie Priebe of Belleville.
Afternoon Coffee Break with Valerie Przywara
The Upper Peninsula Children’s Coalition announced it will be hosting another in its series of “Afternoon Coffee Breaks.”
This coffee break will be held at 2:00 p.m. on August 12 in the Shiras Room at Peter White Public Library.
There is no charge to attend, but attendees are asked to RSVP to polson@glcyd.org by August 10.
Valerie Przywara worked as a Field Organizer for MichUHCAN (Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network) and was responsible for organizing in Congressional District 1 to promote federal health care reform legislation. For details, visit www.upchildrenscoalition.org
Marketing workshop planned for area churches’ benefit
Marcia Parkkonen and Why Not Marketing offer a new opportunity for area churches—to learn low cost, grass roots marketing at a workshop entitled, Building the Blocks.
The workshop will be offered from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on August 17 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette. Registration is $35 per person, $10 of which will donated to Messiah Lutheran’s Global Mission Fund.
This workshop will provide information on current innovative marketing tools and techniques that will get you noticed in the community. Topics include: building your mission using branding, target marketing using electronic tools, press release development and developing media relations.
Marcia Parkkonen is a graduate of Marquette Senior High School and Northern Michigan University with a degree in public relations and a Master of Science in English. Her prior experiences include serving as the public relations and marketing director of the YMCA of Marquette County, and as processing supervisor for Marquette General’s Health Information Management Department.
She resides in Marquette with her husband, Bill, and their two children, Ian and Maija. She enjoys her free time writing, reading and volunteering as the Volunteer Outreach and Publicity Coordinator for Messiah Lutheran Church. In 2010, she will serve as president of the Kiwanis Club of Marquette. To register or for details, call 360-1590 or e-mail mbparky2@gmail.com
Radio show to be broadcast from Calument Theatre
The Red Metal Radio Show 2010 will broadcast live from the Calumet Theatre by Eagle Radio at 7:00 p.m. on August 19.
In its second season, the live and the listening audience will take a streetcar ride from Hubbell to Electric Park, visiting Lake Linden, Laurium and Albion Station along the way.
Life in the Copper Country in 1910, 100 years ago, and some of the important local issues and music from back then, will be shared by area musicians and local folks speaking as Keweenaw residents from that time.
Many of the musicians and readers, as well as technical staff, have signed on again for another season, looking for a second year of successful programming, building on the success of the inaugural show.
CCCAC offers funding
The CCCAC Regional Regranting Program funded by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs with support from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as Keweenaw National Historical Park are offering help with expenses as are a number of local sponsors with Main Street Calumet in the lead.
For details, call 337-6246 or e-mail info@mainstreetcalumet.com
Experts recognize Marquette trails, conduct workshop
The International Mountain Bicycling Association’s (IMBA) Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will be in Marquette from August 20 through 22 to celebrate first-class trails and conduct workshops on proper trailbuilding techniques. Everyone is invited to attend the weekend events.
The award-winning Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program includes two full-time, professional teams of trail experts who travel North America year-round, leading IMBA Trailbuilding Schools, meeting with government officials and land managers, and working with IMBA-affiliated groups to improve mountain biking opportunities. IMBA’s Crews have led more than 1,000 trail projects since the program debuted in 1997.
The crews teach “sustainable” trailbuilding, which means building trails that last a long time and require minimal maintenance. This helps reduce trail damage, protects the environment, and enhances visitor enjoyment.
Most Trail Care Crew visits last four days, allowing time to assess local trails, host an evening event, conduct a two-day Trailbuilding School, and ride with the locals.
The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program has inspired great volunteer trailwork across the U.S. and abroad—a big help to government agencies and land managers who have limited funding for trail construction and upkeep.
As a direct result, there are now thousands of new and improved trails in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and several European countries. That’s a pretty impressive record.
All are welcome to join the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders when they come to town.
For details, call 235-6861, e-mail sscntntadmin@gmail.com or visit www.imba.com
Pictured Rocks personal watercraft use continues
The United States District Court in the District of Columbia has issued a ruling regarding a lawsuit filed by the Bluewater Network, the Wilderness Society and two individuals regarding regulations that allowed limited personal watercraft (PWC) use at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Gulf Islands National Seashore.
The regulations for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore were implemented in 2005.
In a Memorandum Opinion issued by United States District Judge Gladys Kessler on July 8, the Court concluded the analysis of environmental impacts from personal watercraft use, conducted by the National Park Service (NPS) under requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), was inadequate.
Based on that determination, the Court concluded the NPS “Finding of No Significant Impact” (FONSI) for limited PWC use in the Lakeshore was arbitrary and capricious. The Court remanded the case back to the NPS “to provide reasoning consistent with the Court’s opinion” but did not formally vacate or overturn the current rule.
Under current regulations, PWCs within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore may only operate on the surface of Lake Superior between the park’s western boundary and the east end of Miners Beach. PWCs also must be in full compliance with the State of Michigan regulations pertaining to PWC use. For details, visit www.nps.gov/piro
Benefit concert planned for Marquette native in need
A benefit concert for Lisa LaFave Nichols will be held from 1:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Marquette Mountain Ski Hill on August 22.
Marquette native Lisa LaFave Nichols, 38, was diagnosed with Stage III Hodgkins Lymphoma in April 2010. She is a young wife and mother of four school-age children. Before moving from Marquette, she attended MSHS. She needed to leave her job to undergo six months of chemotherapy.
Music will be offered by the Flying Martini Brothers, Andy Langlois, Nudge, The Delores Del Ray Band, Drive and Last Chance. Food will be served from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., and a cash bar will be available.
Tickets are $10 at the door, or in advance at any NMU E-Z Ticket Outlet, Reflections Hair Salon (607 Third Street in Marquette) or AlleyKat’s Quilt Shop (1015 North Third Street in Marquette).
Donations also can be made to the Lisa LaFave Nichols Benefit account at the U.P. Catholic Credit Union, 1001 West Baraga Avenue.
Skubick to kick-off Marquette Economic Club season
Tim Skubick, anchor and producer of the weekly public TV series “Off the Record” is seen on Michigan public television stations across Michigan and has an audience of more than 100,000 viewers each week. He will be the Marquette Econ Club’s first speaker on September 20.
The Economic Club was founded to provide networking opportunities, knowledge, inspiration, and matters related to regional economic growth and development. Eight speakers with expertise in areas of interest to local residents, business owners and government officials have been invited to speak during the 2010-11 Economic Club Programs.
The social hour begins at 6:00 p.m., offering a unique and relaxed networking period and introduction to dinner which is served at 7:00 p.m. followed by the featured speaker at 8:00 p.m. The evening concludes promptly at 9:00 p.m.
Meetings are open to members and guests. To become a member, make a reservation or to learn more, visit www.marquetteeconomicclub.org
2010 Houghton County Fair set for late August
The Houghton County Fair will be held from August 26 to 29. Special shows include Whispering Pines Animal Kingdom, impressionist and magician Brandon Styles, Kenya Safari Acrobats, Scott Murray and Sick Air FMX and Megasaurus
The usual lineup of local music, motorized events, livestock and horse shows also will take place. For details, visit www.houghtoncountyfair.com or call 482-6200.
Sibelius music festival to begin September 19
The twelfth annual Finlandia University Sibelius Academy Music Festival will take place September 19 to 25.
Six international musicians from the prestigious Sibelius Music Academy of Helsinki, Finland, will present a series of six concerts at locations in the Upper Peninsula and in metropolitan Chicago.
From Finland, PAJU is a folk duo with Pauliina Pajala, who plays fiddle, viola, and nyckelharpa (a traditional Swedish string instrument), and Juulia Salonen who sings and plays accordion, and puhaltimet (a Finnish wind instrument). From Spain, Duo Aguirre & León will perform selections from their contemporary music repertoire at this year’s Sibelius Festival.
From Estonia, classical musicians Maria Aru, piano, and Liis Joamets, violin, will perform well-known and rarely played musical compositions from the classical era until the twentieth century. Concert tickets may be purchased at North Wind Books, online at http://finlandia-university.ticketleap.com or at the door prior to each performance.
For details, call 487-7205 or e-mail robin.bonini@finlandia.edu
Drake wins Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw Award
The 2010 Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw Award was granted to Cindy Drake of Houghton during the Horsetail Scramble at Churning Rapids. Drake graciously accepted the award and elected to have the $1,000 prize donated to the Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT), which she was instrumental in founding.
Drake, who currently holds the title of Marsin Program Developer for the Land Trust’s Marsin Nature Retreat Center, was described as a “behind-the-scenes environmental, human rights and animal activist:” by Terry Kinzel, KLT member, who presented the award.
The mother of three daughters, Drake also finds time to volunteer for various community organizations, including Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly, Tea with Tots and the Keweenaw Co-op Board.
It is a requirement that the prize money must be donated to a local not-for-profit organization.
Other nominees for this year’s award included Kristine Bradof for her work with the Keweenaw GEM Center, the Michigan Tech recycling center, Michigan Tech’s Environmental Sustainability Committee, the League of Women Voters, the City of Houghton Planning Commission and the Copper Country Humane Society; and Nancy and Bill Leonard for their work in Chassell Township infrastructure and beach improvements, recycling and environmental activities sponsored by their Einerlei business in Chassell, work with the Friends of Fashion and involvement in KLT and the Copper Country Humane Society.
Four board members select winners each year.
Iron Mountain Main Street gets designation
The Iron Mountain Main Street has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Trust Main Street Center.
The Iron Mountain Main Street was established in 2006 and since that time has assisted with $254,000 in private investment and $1.5 million in public investment.
For details, call 774-8530 or visit www.ironmountaindowntown.com
Catholic Diocese announces upcoming clergy changes
Several Catholic priests are moving their belongings and their ministry to another part of the Diocese of Marquette for this summer’s round of clergy appointments. The ones related to the Marquette area are as follows.
• Father Timothy Ekaitis, 32, the associate pastor of St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette and St. Mary Mission in Big Bay for the last two years, will be the new pastor of St. Barbara Parish in Vulcan and St. Mary Parish in Norway. Father Ekaitis is a native of South Bend, Indiana, who graduated from Michigan Tech University prior to entering the seminary. He was ordained a priest on June 8, 2007 by Bishop Alexander Sample. His first priestly assignment was as associate pastor of the parishes in Manistique, Gulliver, Garden, Cooks and Nahma.
• The new associate pastor of St. Peter Cathedral and the mission of St. Mary in Big Bay will be Father John Boyle, 52. Having served as a pastor in England, Fr. Boyle is on a sabbatical to experience parish life in the United States. He has a licentiate degree in Canon Law from the Angelicum University in Rome, where he attended school with Bishop Sample and Father Ronald Browne, the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Marquette. Fr. Boyle was ordained a priest on March 8, 1997.
• A former resident of Marquette, Father Robb Jurkovich, 33, will add the pastorate of Holy Redeemer Parish in Menominee to his current assignment as pastor of Resurrection Parish, also in Menominee. Father Jurkovich was ordained a priest on June 11, 2004 by Bishop James Garland at St. Peter Cathedral. He has also served St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Escanaba, St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Wells, and Holy Spirit Parish in Menominee.
Passport prices increase for adults, minors
The U.S. Department of State has announced that passport fees increased as follows:
• Passport Book—$135 for adults ($35 increase)
• Passport Book—$105 for minors ($20 increase)
• Passport Card—$55 for adults ($10 increase)
• Passport Card—$40 for minors ($5 increase)
Grants available for local humanities programs
The Michigan Humanities Council invites applications for major grants of up to $15,000 to support public humanities programs. Council grants emphasize collaboration among cultural, educational, and community-based organizations and institutions to serve the people of Michigan.
Applications are due by September 15. The Council encourages applicants to submit a draft of their application for review by August 24. For details, call (517)372-7770 or e-mail cdimitrijevic@mihumanities.org
MGH, Bell affiliation official July 1; officers, priorities set
The Superior Health Partners board of trustees took its first official action, signing the formal affiliation agreement between Marquette General Hospital and Bell Hospital, electing board officers and outlining initial priorities.
Formal affiliation between the two hospitals went into effect July 1. The long-term mission of SHP is to redefine healthcare delivery in the region.
Elected SHP Board officers include: SHP Board Chairman Tim Larson; Vice Chairman Robert Dellangello, MD; and Secretary/Treasurer Ron Katers. A. Gary Muller, FACHE, was officially named by the Board as SHP president/CEO. He rounds out the slate of board officers. The newly elected officers bring extensive professional, volunteer and healthcare experience that will help guide the strategic plan of SHP.
Katers is a veteran Bell Board of Trustees member and past president, as is DellAngello. Muller has served as MGHS President and CEO since 2007.
Other SHP Board members include: John Jilbert, MaryAnne Shannon, Ph.D., RN, and Les Wong, Ph.D.
Superior Health Partners will occupy office space in 101 South Front Street, the historic Savings Bank Building in downtown Marquette.
For details, visit www.superiorhealthpartners.com
Gilman scholarships given to study-abroad students
Four NMU students have received Gilman International Scholarships to participate in study-abroad programs for the upcoming academic year.
Crystal Falvo, a senior art history major from Gaylord, was awarded $3,000 to spend the fall semester in Chengdu, China, Sichuan Province. Valarie Harger, a senior psychology major from Grand Rapids, received $5,000 for a full academic year in Costa Rica. Irma Rosas, a junior art and design/international studies major from Beaver Dam (Wisconsin) was awarded $5,000 to spend the academic year in Oldenburg, Germany. And Jaclyn VanBuren, a senior hospitality major from Ishpeming, received $2,500 for the fall semester in Florence (Italy).
SAIL moving into new offices
Superior Alliance for Independent Living (SAIL) is moving to a new location. After more than ten years in the same location, SAIL has outgrown the space available for use in the Non-Profit Commons.
This move will provide SAIL with additional office space as well as available, accessible parking for both staff and consumers. There is also space to set up the Assistive Technology (AT) Center and to accommodate the growing SPAR program’s recreation equipment and supplies.
SAIL offices will be closed from July 28 through August 8, and will reopen in the new location at 1200 Wright Street, Suite A on August 9.
SWP plans management for Carp River Watershed
The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Trust (SWP) recently began the process of developing a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Carp River Watershed.
Once completed, a watershed plan can help secure grant funding for water quality protection, habitat restoration and other prioritized community projects. This planning process includes the entire Carp River drainage area covering over 73.5 square miles (47,040 acres) including portions of the cities of Marquette, Negaunee and Ishpeming and several townships in Marquette County.
Local units of government have expressed support for this cooperative planning process. The Carp River is an important economic and recreational asset to these local communities and an important cultural area for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, with many historical sites located throughout the watershed.
The goals of this project are to develop a watershed management plan that is then approved by the state and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The plan will provide recommendations for implementation of Best Management Practices that will improve water quality, restore habitat and provide other community benefits. Once the plan is complete and approved at the state and federal level, it can be used as an effective tool to help secure grant funding for prioritized projects. For instance, the Salmon Trout River Watershed Management Plan has helped secure over $1 million in state and federal grant funding for on-the-ground restoration projects.
The SWP has begun the process of monitoring and inventorying the watershed to assess aquatic habitat conditions and identify potential impacts to water quality. As the planning project continues, local conservation organizations, fishing groups, student interns and youth groups will be invited to participate. Visit www.superiorwatersheds.org for details.
Local authors corner
• Every summer, snowbird Harley L. Sachs returns to his Upper Peninsula home to write another book. This summer’s book is Betrayal inspired by his years as a secret agent in Europe. In this new book, Irwin Glass, a young employee of the U.S. State Department in Moscow, is betrayed at every turn. He’s caught in a classic KGB honey pot trap, loses his job, is declared a paid Soviet agent, and sent home in disgrace. He eventually turns up in the Copper Country at Michigan Institute of Technology where the repercussions of the Moscow misadventure catch up with him. Betrayal and Sachs’ other books can be ordered at www.lulu.com or www.amazon.com
Cliffs notes
• Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the coal operations of privately owned INR Energy, LLC, a producer and exporter of high-volatile metallurgical and thermal coal. Cliffs said it plans to finance the $757 million acquisition through available liquidity, including cash on hand and the Company’s $600 million credit facility. The transaction is expected to close within sixty days and is subject to customary closing conditions, including Hart-Scott-Rodino review.
• Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. has taken up approximately 195.5 million common shares of Spider Resources Inc. that were validly tendered as of July 16, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) under Cliffs’ offer to purchase all of the Common Shares. When combined with Cliffs’ prior holdings, Cliffs now owns approximately 81.8 percent of Spider on a fully diluted basis, up from 52.1 percent previously.
DNRE news & notes
• The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) reminds campers that it is important to follow the state’s land use regulations governing camping on state land. A complete list of the state land rules and land-use orders is available at www.michigan.gov/dnre and at any DNRE Operations Service Center. Campers are encouraged to be familiar with these regulations before camping to avoid any violations, which carry a civil fine of up to $500. For details, call Brenda at (517)373-6260.
• The 166-year-old Post Sutler’s Store at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park has been recreated and opened for the enjoyment and convenience of park visitors. The Post Sutler’s Store, where Copper Country prospectors and soldiers stationed at Fort Wilkins once gathered in the mid-nineteenth century to purchase supplies and swap stories, will now offer period merchandise for sale. The store is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Theatrical portrayals take place Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is by state park motor vehicle permit. For details, call 289-4467 or visit www.michigan.gov/fortwilkins
• Applications for antlerless deer licenses in areas with restricted quotas are on sale through August 15 for $4 at all license vendors and online, but the accompanying digest will not be available at license vendors. In all, 776,500 antlerless deer licenses will be available in 2010, an increase from 728,100 last year. Hunters will find fewer antlerless licenses available in the Upper Peninsula. In 2009, twelve U.P. Deer Management Units (DMU) did not have antlerless deer licenses. This year seventeen DMUs will not offer them. For details, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting
• A one-day Becoming an Outdoors-Woman pheasant hunting workshop will take place in the Upper Peninsula on September 11. The workshop, co-sponsored by Black Duck Sporting Clays of Rapid River, is designed for women who have previous shooting experience and would like to expand on their abilities in a fun and non-competitive atmosphere. The program, held at the Black Duck Sporting Clays facility, begins at 9:00 a.m. and will conclude around 4:30 p.m. Participants will take turns going through a sporting clays course before heading out into the field to hunt, where each hunter will have the chance to bag three pheasants. Registration fee is $75 and enrollment is limited, with a registration deadline of August 30. Call Sharon at 228-6561 for details. Registration forms are available online at www.michigan.gov/bow
Political news briefs
• U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Michigan) announced an $8.233 million contract for two large research vessels for the Great Lakes. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant will fund the construction of the two vessels for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center. The vessels help manage the fisheries in the Great Lakes. Commercial and sport fishing in the Great Lakes generate more than $7 billion annually for the region.
• U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has started accepting applications for schools seeking new equipment in school-based health centers. A total of $50 million in national grants will be offered through the School-Based Health Center Capitol Program—a provision authored by Senator Stabenow as a part of the Affordable Care Act. This program will improve the quality of health services available to students.
• Michigan will receive a $3,791,794 grant for on-the-job training programs, Levin and Stabenow announced. The Department of Labor grant is designed to help dislocated workers secure employment and receive training in skills for jobs in emerging industries.
• Stabenow made the following statement regarding the appointments of Alan Mulally of Ford Motor Company, Stephanie Burns of Dow Corning Company, and Andrew Liveris of Dow Chemical to President Obama’s Export Council.
• Stabenow and Levin announced that the University of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will receive a total of $5,554,672 in federal grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funding will be used for three projects to protect the Great Lakes, acquire land for conservation, and provide a habitat for plant and animal species, including $1,719,500 to acquire property for ecological and conservation purposes in Houghton.
• Stabenow and U.S. Congressman Gary Peters (D-Michigan) announced the passage of the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Last year Stabenow, a member of the committee, introduced the legislation that gives our manufacturers and suppliers in the United States critical funding to develop the next generation of advanced vehicles. Without investments like these, we will lose the race to create clean energy jobs to countries like China, who spends $288 million a day developing clean energy technology. Last year, Congressman Peters wrote and introduced the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it passed 312-114 last September.
• Eight U.S. senators led by Levin and George Voinovich (R-Ohio) have requested a legislative provision that would authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take emergency action to stop Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes via any connections with the Mississippi River Basin. This authority would extend to the possible flood zone between the Wabash River and the Maumee River in Indiana. The Army Corps currently has such emergency authority, but it is limited to the Chicago waterway system. Levin and Voinovich are co-chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force.
News briefs
• Mathews Floor Fashions celebrated the completion of its year-long renovation project and ownership transition with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 1025 West Washington Street Marquette location with the Lake Superior Community Partnership; the business is owned by Joe and Amy Burdick.
• Range Bank, N.A. has promoted Chris Gobert to Branch Manager and Loan Officer of Range Bank’s new Third Street location, located at 827 North Third Street in Marquette and presently under renovations and is scheduled to open this August.
• Range Financial Corporation held its annual shareholders meeting on May 18 in Negaunee. Four directors were reelected for a term of three years; they were Anthony N. Kroncich, CPA, President, Kroncich & Associates, CPA Firm; Peter A. LaFreniere, DDS, Dental Practice; John F. Marshall, Retired, Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad Co.; Kenneth A. Palmer, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Range Bank, N.A. and Range Financial Corporation. Other directors of the Corporation include: Peter W. Frazier, Anita A. Johns, Allan L. Koskey, Dr. John F. Pillote, Paul R. Symons, Karl A. Weber and William C. Verrette.
• Range Bank’s board of directors and officers were re-elected at the Bank’s annual meeting held recently. Directors of the Bank are: Kenneth A. Palmer, chairman, president & CEO, Range Bank; Peter W. Frazier, chairman, FRACO, Inc.; Anita A. Johns, president, Holiday Travel & Cruise; Allan L. Koskey, president, Funeral Home; Anthony N. Kroncich, CPA, president, Kroncich & Associates; Janet R. Kuru, retired CEO, Range Bank-Copper Country; Peter A. LaFreniere, DDS, dental practice; Anthony P. Locatelli, co-owner, Locatelli Construction Co.; John F. Marshall, Retired, Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad Co.; John F. Pillote, M.D., retired, Marquette Radiology Associates; Bruce A. Rukkila, owner, Bruce Rukkila, CPA PC; Paul R. Symons, president, Symons Hardware; Stephen D. Vairo, president, Calumet Electronics Corp.; William C. Verrette, chairman, Champion, Inc., and Karl A. Weber, Partner, Plunkett & Cooney Law Firm. Officers re-elected are Kenneth A. Palmer, chairman, president & CEO; Robert W. Martin, executive vice president; Roxanne M. Daust, senior vice president & Chief Financial Officer; Timothy J. Baroni, Community Bank president-Copper Country; William C. Edberg, Community Bank president- Dickinson County; Terry L. Jutila, senior vice president & chief credit officer; Christopher H. DeRoche, vice president; Charlotte L. Gaudreau, vice president; Kelly L. Jandron, vice president; Angela M. Knauss, vice president; John W. Lenten, CPA, vice president; James P. Markham, Jr., vice president; Sally L. Shaver, vice president; Kristy M. Sibilsky, vice president; Kelli J. Hendrickson, assistant vice president; Paula A. Rasanen, assistant vice president; Linda M. Turri, assistant vice president; Patricia S. Couvion, training & security officer; Cheryl L. O’Brien, branch manager; David A. Varda, deposit services manager; Michelle M. McLaughlin, senior credit analyst; Christopher J. Gobert, branch manager.
• Pulsar Backup LLC recently celebrated its grand opening at the Jacobetti Center on Northern Michigan University’s campus. Pulsar Backup LLC is an online backup company that allows customers automatically to backup important files on their computers to a remote storage location.
• The Marquette Red Hat Rosettes are supporting the Accelerating the Future Capital Campaign. The organization took a collection among its members and is contributing $500 to the campaign. Judy Maki, treasurer, presented the check to Jim LaJoie, representing the Marquette General Foundation. Queen Mother Barb White also was present.
Star Date: August 2010
Moon & Planets—Three planets are in the west just after sunset as August opens. Venus, Mars and Saturn form an elongated triangle in the bright twilight. By mid-month, this planetary triangle becomes more equilateral. The thin crescent moon is below this grouping on the 12th. These objects set as darkness falls, leaving the sky to one remaining planet, Jupiter. Rising in the east around the same time, the western planets are setting, Jupiter remains up the rest of the night. On the morning of the 27th, the moon will be just a few days past full with Jupiter hanging below it. The Perseid meteor shower always takes place around August 11 and this year the conditions look good. The moon is a thin crescent on the nights of the 11th and 12th and will be gone from the sky during the peak times to view this annual event. The meteors can be seen over the entire sky, but looking to the northeast in the hours before dawn (especially on the morning of the 13th) offers the best prospects for this year’s shower.
Constellations—The summer Milky Way is at its best, arching high overhead around midnight. Starting in the south with Sagittarius, it can be traced through Serpens and Aquila as it stretches toward Zenith and passes into Cygnus (the Northern Cross). This band of light grows a little fainter as it extends toward Cassiopeia, finally reaching the constellation of Perseus, which has just risen in the northeast. Perseus is the origin point of the meteor shower, and as it slowly climbs higher into the northeastern sky, the number of meteors seen per hour increases.
—Craig Linde
Courtesy of the Marquette Astronomical Society, which meets four times a year. The next meeting is at 7:00 p.m. on September 24 in the Shiras Planetarium. Visit http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club-view.cfm?Club_ID=672 for details or download a free monthly star chart at www.skymaps.com
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