Local News

During public comment at Wednesday’s Houghton City Council meeting, Jennifer Julien asked for the body to sanction two of its newer members. Julien is particularly disturbed by the actions of Councilor Virginia “Jan” Cole. The problem dates back to a week in early January. On the sixth, Veridea announced it …

Thursday evening at approximately 5:20, Hancock Police were called to the scene of a car-snowmobile collision where Ingot Street intersects with Trail 17. The snowmobile was operated by 59-year-old Mark Aldrich, a native of Bloomington, Illinois. He failed to stop for traffic and his sled struck a vehicle driven by …

Area road commissions are implementing weight restrictions for tractor trailers beginning Tuesday morning. The load caps help take stress off roads that are already dealing with pressures related to snow melt and the thaw and refreeze cycle that comes with temperatures rising above 32 degrees during the day before falling …

Today is one of the most anticipated celebrations of the academic calendar at Houghton High School. Winter Fun Day began as a way to break up the long third marking period, traditionally defined by few holidays or other chances for students to get away from the classroom. There is an …

The latest update from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department has included new metrics measuring the percentage of residents who have been fully vaccinated. The five-county average is a respectable 14.1%, but some regions are ahead of others. Ontonagon County has already seen immunization rates top 20%. The question becomes …

Wednesday morning’s crash on US-41 near Baraga State Park sent five people to the hospital. It involved two vehicles and was caused by icy road conditions. At around eight, a man lost control of a pickup truck. It crossed the median and collided with a sport utility vehicle. There were …

With changes to this year’s CopperDog race, there will be no sleds pulling out of downtown Calumet. That led to the village looking for other options for what is normally one of the busiest weekends of the winter calendar. Main Street Calumet Director Leah Polzien says the group had examined …

Forecasted high temps keep rising for tomorrow when the CopperDog 150 kicks off, but that shouldn’t be a factor for the animals competing. Tom Bauer from Otter River Sled Dog Training and Wilderness Adventures says breeding has advanced to such a degree, his huskies are a hybrid able to handle …

Houghton City Council approved resolution 2020-314, which pertains to rezoning a parcel representing a majority of the former Michigan Smelter site, but rejected 2020-315, a smaller lot where the seaplane hoped to relocate its base of operations. The first vote was 4-3, with newer council members Brian Irizarri, Jan Cole, …

The Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team continues to expand its operations. Under the leadership of Lieutenant Timothy Sholander, UPSET has branched out from one centralized location to four offices representing different regions. New members from law enforcement agencies, at the county and local level, are coming on board consistently. That’s …