Local News

Should they stay, or should they go? Those temporary stoplights installed on Sharon Avenue to help control traffic during the US-41 detour are generating positive feedback to Houghton city officials. At last night’s council meeting, City Manager Eric Waara reported that staffers are looking into what it would cost to …

The illness that has been sickening and killing dogs in the northern Lower Peninsula has been identified as canine parvovirus.  Initial screening tests had come up negative for parvo, but more sensitive tests performed at the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory detected the virus. The number of dogs that …

A missing Hancock Township resident was located quickly Tuesday through Houghton County’s Project Lifesaver program. Courtesy of Project Lifesaver International website. Houghton County Sheriff Josh Saarinen said it took deputies just 28 minutes to track the signal from the individual’s transponder to their location, about seven-tenths of a mile away, …

Michigan has released the state’s top 50 in demand jobs. Recently the state’s department of labor and economic opportunity highlighted Michigan’s career outlook during a conference with the department of technology management and budgets. The data compiled by the departments will help residents find high paying, in demand jobs. The …

Are you a tree identification aficionado? Collecting a bushel of red pine cones will earn you $100 and help the Michigan Department of Natural Resources plant trees in state forests. Red pine is a fast-growing tree species that is used to make many types of forest products including lumber, posts …

The Houghton city council will discuss selling a small piece of the land currently occupied by the big parking deck tonight. The owners of 326 Shelden Avenue would like to buy a 10-foot strip immediately to the north of their present building. Braveworks Developers plans to modify the building, which …

The Mount Franklin wildfire on Isle Royale has been contained. The firefighting crew from Minnesota that had arrived August 14 left yesterday. A park official will monitor the area to make sure the blaze does not rekindle. The fire remained confined to the six acres that were involved when it …

COVID-19 numbers fell a bit in the Copper Country last week. The Michigan Department of Health and Human services reported 73 new cases in Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon Counties. That compares with 90 in the previous week, and 91 the week before that. Statewide numbers also slipped a bit, …

Gasoline prices continue to drop. AAA Michigan’s survey showed the statewide average for a gallon of unleaded regular at $3.90 as of yesterday. That’s a nickel less than a week ago, and 59 cents less than a month ago, but still 81 cents higher than a year ago. Locally, the …

Raptors, songbirds, or waterfowl, the Keweenaw Peninsula is home to all kinds of birds. At the end of the week, The American bird conservancy and the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District have partnered to provide a workshop aimed at improving bird habitats. Forestry for Michigan Birds is an initiative, to help …