Local News

*Edited to say only, “19-year-old passenger.” Reports of multiple accidents came in over the weekend, most likely related to slick roads following Friday’s snowfall. The most serious crash involved multiple vehicles on US 41 near Lake Michigamme. One fatality was announced by the Michigan State Police Sunday. Two passengers were …

It’s a rite of passage for many families with Michigan Tech freshman. You start looking for hotel rooms to visit during Winter Carnival in November or December only to find out that you needed to be booking six months earlier. That might not be the case this year. Keweenaw Convention …

Meal assistance is critical for at-risk students on weekends, during holidays, and when schedules are upset by COVID-19 closures. The nonprofit group 31 Backpacks, which began in Calumet back in 2012, will be expanding south to offer services to the entirety of the CCISD coverage area. 31 backpacks went from …

Houghton High School Athletic Director John Sanregret says he remains an “eternal optimist” in regards to getting in prep sports for the district. He says with a chuckle that he thought they’d manage to play last spring’s schedule. Hope is still there to get in hockey and basketball in 2021, …

A new update from the Western UP Health Department shows COVID-19 activity remains centered in Houghton County. Fifty-seven new cases have been confirmed there since Monday, compared to just nine in Baraga (3) and Keweenaw Counties (6) combined. For the three-county area, there was one death since the last report …

A strong summer season is consolidating into lasting economic gains for the area, says Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance Executive Director Jeff Ratcliffe. He summarized the findings to wrap up the organization’s virtual breakfast on Thursday morning. Ratcliffe said the positive momentum began with “strong” tourism and construction seasons. He notes …

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has recommitted to provide a grant for the construction of a new pier in Houghton. The project was originally approved in 2019 with construction scheduled for spring 2020. The MEDC redirected those funds towards COVID-19 relief before it could begin.  The new agreement will see …

The Keweenaw Alliance hosted a virtual breakfast Thursday morning, with a significant amount of the discussion dedicated to the COVID-19 vaccine. Most of the news was positive. Western UP Health Director Kate Beer says that Houghton County has nine providers who can distribute the vaccine. The department is looking at …

A press conference at the state capitol Wednesday has bar and restaurant owners feeling nauseous. Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Joneigh Kaldun announced an extension to the indoor dining ban which has been in place since November. The prohibition will remain …

President Donald Trump was impeached by the United States House of Representatives for a second time on Wednesday, a first in the nation’s history. Jack Bregman, a Republican who represents Michigan’s first congressional district, opted against the measure. He urged the body to return to an agenda designed to help …