Local News

Aspirus has introduced a new app that can walk you through a COVID-19 checklist. The MyAspirus app includes a symptom checker that can tell you if you need to be tested for the coronavirus. It can also facilitate making a testing appointment, if you need one. Anyone can sign up …

Joe Cooper has agreed to serve as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Michigan Tech. Tech Today reports that he’ll take over for Bonnie Gorman, the current Vice President for Student Affairs, who will retire at the end of the year. Gorman has been at …

Help is needed tomorrow to try to shore up one of Calumet’s historic buildings. 425 Fifth Street The Village of Calumet DDA, KEDA, Main Street Calumet, and the Houghton County Land Bank are working together to stabilize the sandstone structure at 425 5th Street. Tomorrow, they hope to install support …

The 2020 general election concludes today. Traffic at the polls is expected to be lighter than in recent elections, but that’s because 96 million Americans have already voted.  Voters will choose between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden for president. No third-party candidate has made a serious impact on …

The number of COVID-19 diagnoses in our region took a significant jump over the past few days. The latest update from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department shows 143 new confirmed positives, plus eight more probables. The increase since the last report came out Thursday night was spread across the …

Michigan Tech will be able to double its COVID-19 testing capacity, thanks to a gift from the Portage Health Foundation. A new RNA extractor for the Tech lab will increase the number of tests that can be processed from 200 per day to 400 per day. An additional software package …

Overnight street and municipal lot parking bans are now in effect in a number of Copper Country municipalities. The hours differ slightly. Bans in Houghton, Calumet and Laurium run from 2:00 am to 7:00 am. Hancock’s runs from 2:30 am to 7:00 am. City crews need clear access to street …

There’s a new way for students to communicate on the playground at Barkell Elementary School. A large CORE board was unveiled Friday. The CORE board features visual depictions of commonly used words and phrases. It’s a way for students and staff to communicate – especially students who have learning disabilities, …

Incumbents ruled the day at Saturday’s Keweenaw Bay Indian Community primary election. In the Baraga District, Tribal Council member Doreen Blaker led the field with 142 votes. Fellow council member Robert D. “R.D.” Curtis, Jr. had 74. They’ll be joined on the general election ballot by Sue Ellen “Suzie” Elmblad, …

It’s not just individual health that’s at risk, as the COVID-19 rate in the western Upper Peninsula continues to climb. While rates were low a few months ago, Mainstreet Calumet director Leah Polzien was happy to see brisk summer tourism business… “We did have lower numbers this summer with the …