Local News

The Upper Peninsula Volunteer Firefighters Tournament got off to a great start with two parades last night.  Some 700 firefighters from more than three dozen U.P. departments donned their formal uniforms for the Dress Parade through Calumet at 7, then changed into flannels and other comical costumes for the humorous …

The Ontonagon County Fair takes place this weekend at the fairgrounds in Greenland. Exhibits, animals and entries in the pie and sweet treat contests can be checked in beginning at noon today. The Lions Club breakfast starts at 8 tomorrow morning. The craft and vendor show opens at 10, and …

A Baraga man has been named to the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Board of Trustees. Rodney Loonsfoot is a Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Council Member, and Tribal Veteran Service Officer for The KBIC. Loonsfoot served in the Marine Corps and the Michigan National Guard. Loonsfoot will represent independent veterans …

Stamp sand beaches are a common sight throughout the Upper Peninsula’s Lake Superior shoreline. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal Engineer, Dr. Jim Selegean, says that understanding the process of erosion is very important for Michigan to protect it’s thousands of miles of coastline. Each location where stamp sand beaches …

The Portage Health Foundation enjoys recognizing the amazing work done by volunteers throughout the Copper Country. The foundation is introducing a new recognition program, Do Good in the Copper Country. The program plans to feature a volunteer from any organization in the region, each month. Portage Health Foundation knows that …

At a low-key Houghton City Council meeting last night, councilors voted to advance a slight change to the parking enforcement code. The adjustment will allow the council to confirm future parking fee changes as a resolution, instead of as a full ordinance. Officials anticipate that will allow more flexibility as …

The City of Houghton is looking for a couple of new board members. One person is needed for the Board of Review. The candidate must be an elector of the city, and an owner of property assessed for taxes in the city. The Board of Review meets in March, July …

The current detour around the Michigan Department of Transportation US-41 project in Houghton will stay in place well into the fall. Officials had hoped to revise the detour midway through the project. However, excavation for rebuilding underground utilities has been more extensive than anticipated, and that has caused a revision …

Firefighters from across the Upper Peninsula are gathering in the Copper Country for this year’s Volunteer Firefighters Tournament. The 127th edition of the tourney is being hosted by the Calumet Township Fire Department. Activities begin with a fire chiefs meeting this morning, and a firefighters association meeting this afternoon. Both …

Michigan Tech has a new boat.  MTU Image The 47-foot catamaran is now moored at the Great Lakes Research Center.  It was donated by alumnus Gary Hagstrom, a member of the class of 1972, who spent 35 years as an engineer and project manager for Chevron. Previously known as Crackerjack, …