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Local school districts continue to adapt to the new COVID-19 reality. At last night’s Hancock Board of Education meeting, Barkell Elementary School Principal Dan Vaara said this year’s Halloween celebration will be scaled back, but the traditional costume parade will still take place – outdoors, if Mother Nature cooperates… “Unfortunately, …

The COVID-19 infection rate in Michigan now matches the highest level we experienced last spring. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ rolling seven day average of confirmed infections rose to 1,620 in yesterday’s report. That’s just six below the first pandemic peak in early April. The good news …

The  Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is expanding the number of free COVID-19 testing sites available.  Partnerships with Walgreens and the Michigan Primary Care Association will add 77 new sites, and bring the total number of free testing locations across the state to nearly 100. The Walgreens stores …

Some federal money is heading to the Upper Peninsula to help fight the opioid crisis. Michigan State University will administer the $392,462 United States Department of Agriculture Rural Health and Safety Education grant. MSU will work with 15 coalitions in the U.P. to implement an opioid misuse prevention program, provide …

With the official count now closed, Michigan appears to have performed fairly well in the U.S. Census. Federal officials say our self-response rate of 70 percent – those who either reported their household information online, or by mail – was the eighth-best in the nation. Keweenaw County didn’t help much …

High School In high school volleyball last night…• Calumet cruised past Houghton 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-17).• Dollar Bay-Tamarack City fell to Ewen-Trout Creek 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-17).• Jeffers lost to Wakefield-Marenisco 3-1.• Chassell swept Lake Linden-Hubbell 3-0 (25-8, 25-15, 25-15). On the volleyball schedule tonight…• Hancock plays at Lake Linden-Hubbell. …

A Chassell man faces multiple drug charges, following his arrest by officers from the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team. Officials say 34-year-old Jon Lister was taken into custody Friday, after a two-month investigation. He was arraigned on five counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine. Bond was set at $5,000.

The much anticipated show by country music star Joe Nichols at the Calumet Theatre has been rescheduled again. Theatre Executive Director Marlin Lee said the November 14th date just became untenable… “We kept hoping that restrictions would ease, because this is a show that is going to be a sellout, …

Northern Michigan University’s budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year will shrink by about one percent. The board of trustees approved the spending plan on Friday. Despite the overall shrinkage, money for scholarships and fellowships will increase by nearly $300,000. The board also ratified a new two-year contract with 130 members …

Some Coles Creek Road residents who have been without water for a month brought their case to the Houghton County Board of Commissioners last week. The homes were served by a small, off-the-books private water system using an Artesian well that had been in place for decades. A contractor working …