Local News

The City of Hancock has a budget for next year, but not without a lot of last-minute discussion. At the public hearing, Evan Lanese was one of two residents who encouraged the council to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement by reducing funding to the police department… Lanese suggested …

Road construction could cause delays or lengthy detours at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park over the next few days. The Ontonagon County Road Commission is replacing four culverts along a portion of South Boundary Road. The project began Thursday, and will continue today… with additional work Monday and Tuesday. Park …

A free COVID-19 testing clinic will be operating in Baraga on Friday. Drive-through testing will be available to anyone age 18 or older. No prior doctor visit or referral are necessary. The clinic will be put on by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan’s …

The City of Hancock will not open up for recreational marijuana sales at this time. At a public hearing held by the city council last evening, Dr. David Kass pointed out the health problems caused by marijuana use, especially among adolescents… Evan Lucas noted that adolescent use sometimes decreases in …

The Hancock City Council will hold two public hearings tonight. One involves two ordinances that would establish the application process and fee structure for recreational marijuana facilities licenses. The other will address the proposed 2020-2021 city budget. The hearings will begin at 6:00. The council is scheduled to vote on …

The Copper Country Association of School Boards has honored three area residents for their contributions to local K-12 education. This year’s Student Leadership award went to Katie Jaszczak, a two-year Career and Technical Education student in the Health Careers and Certified Nursing Assistant program. Katie received a $500 scholarship from …

The village of Calumet is celebrating the delivery of its new loader. The $65,000 piece of equipment was expected to arrive today. Seventy-five percent of the cost was covered by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Village manager Caleb Katz said that a new SnoGo unit that will …

The Village of Laurium is looking for a new council member. Longtime councilor Loralee Miller has resigned, notifying officials by letter that she is moving outside the village. Councilor Amy Schneiderhan said Miller will be missed… Council members decided to proceed with filling out Miller’s term, which will expire in …

A plaque honoring a controversial donor to Northern Michigan University has been removed. The “thank you” was installed at the Carillon Towers after John P. McGoff donated $300,000 to the university in 1978. That money was returned to McGoff in 1988, after his conviction for illegal activities in support of …

In the state’s ongoing efforts to protect nursing home residents and staff, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services has issued an order, requiring regular testing, and more timely and accurate reporting of deaths, cases and shortages of personal protective equipment and staff. Director Robert Gordon said they’re doing everything …